Just Beneath the Surface
by Shembre
Summary: What if it all boiled down to one moment, one mistake? Kovu's mistake? Digging to the very dark heart of the matter is the one hope at ending a vicious cycle of violence before the ripples of chaos expand too far to control. But it may just come at a high price... (Warning: character death). Could be seen as satire...?
1. Prologue

When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free."

- Catherine Ponder.

"Anger is just a cowardly extension of sadness. It's a lot easier to be angry at someone than it is to tell them you're hurt."

-Thomas Gates

888888

He found the strong stench of old earth nearly overbearing as he looked on, shivering.

His mother's sharp, chiseled features were illuminated by the light from the flame his brother, Nuka, had carried all the way from the Elephant Graveyard's sulfur pits, and down into one of their fortress's dark tunnels where the whole pride had gathered. Expressionless, the lionesses sat facing the crumbly wall where the small, dark-furred cub cowered before the light of the fire at his dirty paws. There was hardly a need for the ember's glow, fed by several small sticks, as the pitifully concealed terror in his green eyes would have been plain even in the dark.

"Oh, Scar," Zira exulted to the still, stuffy air, her grating voice causing the cub to startle wildly. "With every bone in your body, all you wanted was to be the greatest king that would've made all the generations before look like sniveling little cubs. Why did that wretched, cruel Simba have to return from the dead and knock you from your deserved position as king of Pride Rock? He had no right to be there, and he had little more reason to end you, my dear."

The haggard lioness' sigh had the hint of a growl as she shook her head morosely. Her body sagged for a moment before she was lifting her chin high again.

"What possessed him to curse us to such a horrid existence here, after some beast thought to rid us of his foolish, and all too curious son, Chaka? The boy deserved what he got, but it wasn't my fault. And though my suffering cannot be compared to yours, Scar, the vengeance in my dark heart is my heavy burden to carry with me each day. Scar, you will be avenged, and my Kovu, one day, will be the one to do it."

"Mother, what is this?" croaked the cub.

"Hush!"

Zira's muzzle wrinkled into a frightening snarl that made the boy cringe. When she seemed satisfied by his silence, her eyes then flickered to Nuka. One brother relaxed while the other tensed and prepared himself for Zira's unpredictable nature.

"Nuka, put that blessing mess on him," she ordered.

Swallowing, Kovu easily caught the resentful gleam in Nuka's eyes as the adolescent lion stepped towards him. In his jaws he carried a striped, orange gourd, which Vitani had scavenged from Rafiki's tree just for the occasion. Nuka turned, dipped his scruffy tail into the juice and slopped it roughly over the cub's brow. When some of the juice dripped into his green eyes, he tried hard not to whimper.

Nuka bent down close to Kovu's ear. "If I were you, I wouldn't look so terrified. Mother idolizes you. Make her proud."

Unable to ignore the advice, at once Kovu straightened up and gave a little nod to his elder.

"Thanks," he whispered.

His brother didn't acknowledge him as he picked up the gourd and returned to his spot next to Vitani. Kovu had heard the jealously in his brother's voice, but he feared his mother's displeasure more than the wedge she had driven between them.

_I wish mother would just give him a chance... it would take the pressure off me..._

He flinched when the lionesses began to hum, filling the tunnel with a low, eerie rumble.

"Scar, watch over my young Kovu, and lead him to victory when he has grown big and strong," Zira began again, her head lifted high and her eyes closed in passion. "I know I can train him to do what will be done when Simba stands before him. But I can't do it alone. With your help, we shall regain our rightful place at Pride Rock. Kovu will become king in your name, and bring Simba to the ground."

At this moment the humming stopped.

"Come, my sisters," his mother spoke, standing up. "Tonight, we will leave Kovu to the very beginning of his destiny. This is the night he turns his back on his cubhood and becomes something much greater!"

As the lionesses began to leave behind their prized male cub, Kovu panicked. As his sister passed by, he snapped his jaws around her tail and yanked her back.

She yelped and swatted at him. "Kovu! Stop it!"

"You can't leave me here!" Kovu wailed, his eyes filling with woeful tears. "The fire- it's almost out!"

"Oh, Kovu." Vitani sympathetically shook her head. "They're expecting so much out of you tonight. In the morning, when you come out of this tunnel, they want to see some change in you... whatever it is, I'm not sure. You mustn't leave."

"But I'm afraid of the dark. It's spooky here."

Vitani grimaced. "Let Mother hear you whine like this, Kovu, and she'll have your tail!"

"B-b-but-"

Vitani padded away. Over her shoulder she said, "If you're asleep before the fire dies, you won't be able to tell the difference."

After they departed, the thudding of his heart in his narrow chest and the rasping of his nervous breath were the only sounds he could pick up, the only thing to keep him company. Everything else was dead silence. He strained to hear his family, but for all he knew, he was miles away from them.

"I won't be afraid... I won't be afraid," he repeated over and over as he crouched down, shivering from terror and the chill from the ground that seeped in through his paws. The fur along his spine was standing on end and his tail was tucked close to his body.

_I won't be afraid..._

He tried following Vitani's suggestion, first by clenching his eyes tight to shut out the dark, but unable to also shut out the cold and the smells that persistently reminded him of where he was crouching. After some time, however, he was finding it difficult to stay awake. His mind was still set on edge, but somehow his muscles were able to relax enough to bring him a little peace. It had been a rough day of training with his mother, sister, and brother that had started before light and had ended at sunset. He opened his eyes for a moment to check the status of the flames before resting his chin on his dusty paws. He guessed he'd have plenty enough time to fall asleep before the smoldering fire went out completely.

_Hopefully it won't wake me up then..._

But just as he began to close his eyes to drift into sleep, he caught something when it shifted just within the edge of his sight. The flame from the dying fire flickered and danced. He looked up to the wall, gasped, and scrambled to his paws, nearly tumbling over his gangly limbs.

Its jaws gaped terribly and widened into a devilish grin. With thin legs, it danced on the wall like some demented marionette. It was monstrous and Kovu's first instinct was to run away, but he was held to that spot as if not by his own choosing.

"He... hell...o?"

He flicked his tail...

...and so did the shadow on the wall.

Half crouched, he paced up and down the length of the fire's cast light, his widening eyes following the movements of the shadow.

It did everything he did.

"What are you?" he whispered.

The jaws of the shadow moved both silently and in sync with Kovu's.

With a whimper, Kovu spun and turned his back on the terrible shadow and sat there for several moments, panting. He closed his eyes before reopening them and glancing over his shoulder to see that it was still looming behind him.

He swore that it was smirking at him as it laid there against the wall, hunched over as if it was observing him curiously.

_It's mine..._

Tears of shock and despair ran down the young heir's cheeks. He wanted to run, but somehow he couldn't find the strength, and he feared the wrath of his mother if he chose to disobey her. He knew he'd end right back in that spot no matter how much he begged and pleaded for her to protect him. She wouldn't believe him if he told her about the shadow, and even then she'd take it as some sort of sign of Scar's approval.

"Who am I really on the inside?" he whispered to himself once he accepted that the shadow was really his... somehow.

"What does everyone want me to become?"


	2. Nightmare

**His paws** beat the savannah land like a bushman's drum, but he could get nowhere. He was losing the same battle that had repeated nearly every night for months, and once again he found himself racing to get away from the demon that followed him, that yearned to destroy the king and take his place as a pretender. During the day, he told himself that Kovu had indeed changed. Scar wasn't even his father for that matter, and his vicious mother was rotting someplace along the river. But how could he shake the suspicion that Kovu was still somehow under the influence of both his mother and Scar when he dreamed his death each night at the claws of Kovu, the outcast his daughter had befriended and then fallen in love with?

Behind him, Simba could hear the deranged panting of Kovu. The beast that followed him hardly looked like Kovu, but Simba knew instinctively that it was his heir. Without fault as always, the rock wall rose up before him, and Simba began the never-ending climb with Kovu hot on his tail. He chanced a glance behind him, and he beheld the surreal scene below him. Kovu skidded to a stop at the base of the rocky face, his acid green eyes leaping with joy as his lips curled into a disturbing grin. Simba could feel his heart racing and the sound of it filled his ears. He couldn't catch his breath, nor could his claws catch hold of the slick, crumbling rock.

Kovu let out a laugh below as he stretched as far as he could reach and raked his deadly claws down the surface of the rock. "Where are you running, Simba?" he called. "Don't you trust me?"

Simba wanted to tell the demonic form of Kovu that he did not, but his fleeting voice left him mute. He could only whimper. He turned back to climb again and found that he had run out of cliff. He clambered awkwardly onto the narrow precipice and looked back down only to find Kovu right there. As the days wore on, Simba found it difficult to forget the Kovu of his dreams and see the young lion for what he was becoming. Kovu, who had become a father within the past year, was to be a great king one day, and not the horrible killer in his dreams.

With a triumphant roar, Kovu lifted his paw to the air, all five talon-like claws unsheathed. It came down on Simba's face, knocking him off balance and sending him over the precipice. Simba hated the sensation of falling downward. He would envision himself as his father-a lion blindsided and backstabbed by a devious brother. As he fell, he'd cry out and see his uncle at the top-a sight he almost had the pleasure of witnessing all those years before. But, this time, what he found strange was the appearance of a second lion at Kovu's side. He tried to make out who it might be, but he there was no time to tell.

"Simba? Simba!" came a voice from beyond the landscape of his dark dreams.

A warm tongue caressed his cheek as Simba slowly eased back into reality. Nala lay next to him, her paw on his shoulder. He sighed a breath of relief.

"You were whimpering again, Simba," she whispered, teal eyes full of worry. Even quieter, she said, "You growled and you mumbled Kovu's name. It wasn't the nightmare again, was it?"

"Is he here?" Simba asked distractedly. He sat up and looked around. His whiskers twitched with anxiety. Kovu's place where he normally slept near his two children and Kiara was bare.

"He left early this morning," Nala answered him.

Simba turned back to his mate, "It's happening more and more. I'm exhausted."

"Perhaps you should speak to him about it."

Simba shook his head. "No, I couldn't do that. No… we've put the past behind us. All that matters now is the future."

Nala looked unconvinced. "You could always speak to Rafiki."

"Perhaps…"

"Then _I_ will if you don't," Nala threatened. She placed her paw over Simba's, a soft, gentle purr rising in her throat. "How can there be a future if you keep returning to the past? These dreams are tearing you apart. I hate to say it, but… what if… they really do mean something? Why else would they repeat…"

Simba groaned and stood up to stretch. Nearby, his granddaughter, Tanga, stirred in her sleep and rolled over. "Ohhh… please don't say things like that, Nala. Don't I have enough to worry about while I sleep, let alone when I'm awake?"

"Just promise me that you will do something about this, please?" Nala told him. "I hate seeing you like this, Simba." Lovingly, she rubbed her cheek against his mane, purring harder.

Simba couldn't help but give a small smile. He sighed. "I promise."


	3. This Morning

A smile tugged at the corners of Kovu's mouth when he lifted his muzzle to the crisp, light air. Small, billowing clouds escaped from his nose as he breathed in deeply. The land around him was shrouded in a thin blanket of frost and fog, and in the thorny, dusty green trees he could hear morning birdsong. At peace, he could let his mind wander as he patrolled the edges of the Pride Lands alone. Nobody was there to judge him, nor was there anyone to make him find something more productive to do. He didn't have to lay claim to the titles of rogue, son, brother, mate, father- or in any sense of the term, heir to the throne. He just had one: Kovu.

In the distance, his green eyes spotted a tawny, leggy figure. His instincts took over and he quickly went into a hunter's crouch in the short, brown grass. Although there was no real shortage of prey in the Pride Lands, despite the signs of a possibly early dry season, the Outsider in Kovu didn't allow for such an opportunity to pass. He began to creep forward, his eyes firmly on the gazelle as it nibbled on scrub. The poor gazelle had gone off a few leaps away from its herd, and by the time Kovu grew close enough to clearly see each stubby tooth in its mouth, he'd noticed it favored its right front leg.

Kovu's haunches rocked as he prepared to launch his attack.

_So easy_...

It was completely unaware. He'd proudly to take it back to Kiara and their-

The gazelle scattered faster than Kovu had ever seen before, the limping gazelle fleeing as well. He stood and cursed, the fur on the nape of his neck prickling and a growl rumbling in the back of his throat. It was pointless to chase after them.

_At least I'm not starving..._

"Always waiting until the last moment, I see."

The voice sent his heart into a furious thunder. Horrified, Kovu spun around.

_But..._

He felt his jaw drop.

_There's nobody here... Have I started to imagine that horrible voice?_

He'd expected to find Zira standing there, laughing like a deranged hyena. Tensely, he half-growled, half-panted. He shook his head. It was irrational. He was letting his mind get the best of him. It was foolish to even be out there, so close to the cliff from which Zira had fallen into the raging river.

_But I've come here to make sure my family is safe. I __**have**__ to be sure she's dead and will never hurt my family again._

Without a body as proof of her demise, Kovu often wandered near the cliff where he had last seen her. Then he would allow himself to become immersed into imaginings of what he would say to her, what he would do, if there came a time when she did materialize. Several times he'd thought about stumbling upon her while she witlessly slept, and then ambushing her. Lately, he thought about taking her captive and dragging her to Simba at Pride Rock. But most of the time he became obsessed with his hatred and all the painful memories he had held back all those years. He wanted to yell at her, make her finally listen to him. When she'd fallen from the cliff, she'd robbed him of all that.

He eyed his surroundings and started to turn away from the cliff. _Time to go home, I think. Asuma and Tanga wanted me to take them out for hunting prac-_

"Are you deaf, Kovu?"

Kovu jumped and spun. "No... No, it can't be…" he hissed under his breath, frantically looking around. He felt the blood rush away from his face and dribble into his paws. His eyes widened as he searched for the source of the taunt.

"Over here. That's right."

Kovu narrowed his eyes.

From behind a boulder, a sinewy lioness stepped out. Her tawny fur was matted, and he stopped himself from gasping when he saw her bulging ribs. From the deep lines around her eyes he could tell she was in pain. He also noticed there was something about her expression that made her look almost... lonely.

Yet, somewhat meekly, she managed to smile.

Kovu loathed that cheeky grin.

His voice was caught in his throat by raw shock for several seconds. He finally blurted, "No! You're supposed to be dead!" He knew instantly, now or never, he had to act, either by attacking or running away, but he was frozen to the chilly, damp earth he stood on. "Y-you're-"

Zira narrowed her eyes. "Oh, stop babbling like a fool, Kovu," Zira snapped in her gravely, yet smooth, voice. "I may be weakened and shamed, but I'm not dead just yet. Would a dead lioness be walking and talking?"

He had to react! He had to, but he just couldn't. He could not believe what he was seeing. He shut his eyes tight.

"Open your eyes, my son," she told him. "You can't just wish me away."

"You're dead..."

"Just open your eyes, and we can have ourselves a nice little chat. I know you'd like that."

One at a time, Kovu reluctantly opened his eyes.

She had sat down, and now she was close enough for him to touch her. She seemed to inspect him carefully, especially his face.

Her boldness sickened him.

Her head tilted slightly to the side. "That scar is nearly gone," she remarked.

Kovu quietly massaged the ground with his claws. "Rafiki's work. I'm starting my life over."

She smirked, like he had said something comical. "Oh, we don't need our scars to remember the past, now do we, Kovu?"

"I-"

"You must not be trying too hard to forget me," she continued. "I've seen you come here nearly every day, my son. But, what effort you have made is good enough for me." She then paused, as if waiting for him to ask her something.

He raised a brow, giving her nothing more aside from a glare.

The haggard lioness cleared her throat. "I see you have children now, and Vitani a son. They look strong."

He started to shake, his muscles were so tense. _Zira, in the Pride Lands? Near my cubs?_

Zira's eyes widened. "I understand what you're feeling-"

He snarled, baring his teeth. "How could you? You've never understood! How _dare_ you come where you are not wanted!""

"Kovu, I-"

"I'm only going to say this once." He took a step forward.

The old rogue scrambled to her paws and took a step away from him.

The voice saying his words startled him. It was bitter, ice cold, and embedded in a deep, guttural growl. "Leave now before I do something I won't regret."

Zira flinched and seemed to think twice about heeding his warning, but for whatever reason... she didn't run.

His heart skipped a beat. "Don't make me warn you again!"

Instead of turning and running, the corners of Zira's the frown on her muzzle deepened almost into a pout, her brows arching. "I... I just wanted to be a part of my son's and daughter's lives again."

_What?_

Kovu curled his lip and sniffed indignantly. "We are no longer your children."

"Fair enough," she replied. "But nevertheless... I wanted to speak with you."

"No!" He took another step forward.

Zira's shoulders sank, but this time she didn't move away. "It's only one conversation," she pointed out. Her sharp nose twitched. "Please, won't you hear me out?"

_Attack! Attack! Attack! She's seeing right through you! She can see you're faltering! Attack, attack now!_

His paws ached from the amount of pressure he was using to dig into the dirt. For a second, he allowed himself to lift a paw and glance down and see the deep, smooth grooves his claws had carved into the dead earth.

"Kovu, you know it would have been easy for me to attack you. You could be dead right now..."

He thought he knew her well enough to know that she wasn't necessarily threatening him, but intead was stating a fact- one he knew well enough.

"But instead I exposed myself to you," she finished. "I'm risking my life, I know. But can't you spare a moment just to listen?"

He narrowed his eyes. "You've never listened to me. Why should I listen to you?"

She opened her mouth, but after a moment she closed it again. Then she looked down at the ground while her shoulders turned in on themselves.

As he glared down at her, he wondered if the revulsion, among other conflicted emotions, he felt then had been the same as when she had glared down at him as a young lion. Even early on, her erratic abuse had spoken more than a thousand words could. He also wondered if the thought had ever crossed her mind that he could ever defy her with all the power she had given him. Had she been so confident in her brainwashing that she had had no need to be aware of such a thing? Just how confident was she at that moment while she waited on _him_ to decide what to do? Was she laughing inside, or was she shivering like a mewling, newborn cub?

Inwardly, he cringed. _Am I still her victim...?_

Zira's loud sigh broke through his thoughts. "I was a fool to think you believed in second chances." She stood up. "If you don't mind, I'd like to find some nice hole to die alone in."

_Attack, attack __**now! **__She has her __**back**__ to you!_

He half-sighed, half-growled.

_What are you doing? Trying to prove to her that you're not evil? Stop!_

Grimacing, he called her back. "Talk fast, rogue."

As she turned to him, Zira looked taken aback. "Oh... Kovu, thank-"

"No tricks," he told her firmly. "Talk. Now. Before I change my mind."

Her eyes brightened as she turned and sat down. "Kovu..." she began, "I was consumed with a hatred that blinded me. It was in my best interest to take away your innocence- Nuka and Vitani's, too. I used you as my pawn when it should have been me instead doing my dirty work, and that alone cost me your love, and cost me the life of my eldest son. Oh, if only I had seen Nuka for what he really was, I would have treated him better!"

"You admit that it was _your_ fault and not mine? That I did not kill Nuka?"

"Yes..." Zira replied slowly.

Kovu furiously scanned her face for any tiny trace of untruth, but none reared its ugly head. He continued to hold her with suspicion, but he could not help but listen to what appeared to be a ring of sincerity in her rough voice. The things she said still got under his skin, but somehow she seemed softer around the edges.

_Is this all just a game to her?_

Then she said a bit too sharply for Kovu's taste, "I was apologizing, and all you heard was that I cleared your conscious of Nuka's death." When nobody stopped her, she restated, "Kovu… I am very sorry for what I have done, and I've had time to do some thinking. I've thought a lot about Simba's daughter and what she tried to do for me. I was lost, and I was too angry to see what she was doing until it was too late. It wasn't until I was hanging from a cliff dangling above a river with her paw stretched down to me that I understood."

His jaw dropped. He'd never imagined... He couldn't comprehend the words. Zira was _incapable_ of saying them!

"What?" he exclaimed. "You're lying! You mean none of that. You only care about yourself!"

Zira frowned and took a step back once again. She snapped in a startled voice, "Calm your anger, my so-"

"You're not my mother!"

"Do you forget that you are part of me? We are of the same flesh. I did give birth to you."

In a burst of energy, Kovu growled and easily knocked her to the ground, pinning her. He thought she would spit and writhe like the cobra she was, but beneath his paws, she was submissive. Her face was surprisingly calm as she looked up at him. This irritated him like a burr that had lodged itself deep into his pelt.

"I know what you're doing," he growled warningly. "Don't think you can wriggle back into my life again. I'm through with you. It was stupid of me to even let you open your mouth. You're nothin' but a trickster. I've come out here to make sure you're dead and look at me… I have my claws in you and you're still breathing!"

"You're not weak for sparing me," Zira said, her tone somber. "It's not weak to show mercy."

"Liar! You've never thought mercy was a virtue," he said, his claws massaging her flesh in frustration.

_It would be so easy, but what's stopping me?_

He laughed in disgust. "Heh, you said yourself you robbed me of my innocence, and you scorned Simba and laughed at him over and over again for sparing me when you offered me up to him- thinking of only yourself!"

"You can't kill me because you still see me as your mother, Kovu. I think you still feel guilty for betraying me and falling in love with the enemy," Zira retorted.

Kovu gritted his teeth. "Shut up," he growled.

_You're like an infection._

"Deep down, I think there is a voice that nags you. You don't feel adequate, and you fear you will fail everyone. You want to protect them all, but you don't think you can."

Kovu leaped away from her so fast he was stumbling over his own paws, as if she had burned or bitten him. "Stop it!" he roared despairingly.

The ragged lioness clambered painfully to her paws and leisurely groomed her chest. She then lifted her chin as she spoke to him. "Have I not told you that you cannot escape your destiny? Try as you might by vainly healing that scar, it's useless," she said to him, her tone blunt. "I have said I am sorry. Isn't it your desire as well to put this to rest? That's why you come here each and every day, is it not? You can move on, become the great king I know you will be. There is blood on your paws, but if you forgive me, and beg mercy for me from Simba, you can wash it all away. And what would your cubs think of you… if they knew?"

_The cubs? _Kovu inwardly mused in horror. If Zira had approached them already, he would have known. They didn't even know her name- just that she was not there. It had been agreed upon that Tanga, Asuma, and Vitani's son, Natin, would know nothing about the shared past of their father and mother.

"You wouldn't dare..."

"I want an audience with Simba, Kovu," Zira told him. "I wish to ask his forgiveness. If you do this one thing for me, you will never have to see me again. That's all I ask. Besides," she then added, "he deserves to know the truth about his son."

"Wait, what son?" Kovu narrowed his green eyes in thought. He vaguely remembered his mother speaking a name once or twice, but the meaning behind the name was fuzzy. "Ch-Chaka?"

"Yes, Kovu. Chaka's death was the reason we were exiled. Simba needs to know the truth so that both of you can move on. Surely he still sees you for the devious rogue who so happened to save his daughter, taking the place of the son he should have had at his side."

Kovu knew he made a grave mistake when he averted his eyes in thought. Simba _had_ been looking at him strangely lately, and there could only be one explanation- his faith in Kovu was faltering _again_. Kovu had promised himself he would no longer have to look at his reflection and see a monster when he was driven to the watering hole by thirst.

_You're no monster, but this isn't the way to prove it!_

All that time he'd felt like he was losing himself again, but he wouldn't give up without a fight. He hadn't yet. He just couldn't.

_You don't have to prove anything to anyone! Stop!_

"He'll never come," Kovu murmured, eyes still averted away from Zira as he considered the temptation.

"I know you'll find a way."

_Attack!_

_ "_I'll be waiting right here, Kovu."

* * *

**11/6/11**

**Rebooted this chapter with no super-major changes, but I thought Kovu's thoughts fell a little flat and frankly, my writing skills pre-reboot left a lot to be desired, which kind of sucks for a chapter that I feel is pretty important.**

**So, old or new reader, I hope you enjoyed it!**


	4. Relaxation

**Kiara twitched** her tail, her ocher eyes closed against the bright sun that bathed her in warmth. Not long after, she felt a paw come down on her tail. She could only guess it belonged to her son, Asuma. She flicked it again and smiled. Asuma's gentle teeth eagerly chewed his plaything.

Yawning, the honey-furred lioness rolled over and opened her eyes. She squinted and then sat up. Kovu had returned, his expression unreadable, even as she grinned at him. When he noticed her, however, his muzzle creased in an easy smile.

"Good afternoon, Kovu," her mother, Nala, said in greeting. Nearby, she lay with Tanga draped over the grandmother's back. Kiara watched as Tanga leaped up to meet her father.

Kovu bent slightly to lick his daughter on the cheek. She was nearly half as big as her parents now, Kiara noticed. It was about time for them to start becoming full members of the pride.

"Lovely day, isn't it?" Kovu remarked.

"Lovely enough to go hunting, Father?" Asuma piped, perking up immediately.

Kovu shook his head, much to the disappointment of the cubs. "Not today, I'm afraid. Maybe tomorrow," he told them. To Nala and Kiara he asked, "Where is Simba?"

"He went with Zazu to see Rafiki his afternoon. He'll be back soon," replied Kiara. She frowned as she looked at Kovu harder. "Why, is everything okay?" she asked, concerned.

Instantly, Kovu smiled. "No I just wanted to speak with him about the herds. They look like they will fare well this year."

"Quite," agreed Nala. "And as a matter of fact, Simba was going to have a word with you as well."

"Really, about what?"

Nala just smiled and lifted her chin. "Just speak with him and see."

"Are you certain, Daddy?" Tanga asked. "You _did_ promise us yesterday, and the day before that, too." She tried using her sweetest smile, which Kiara knew worked almost limitlessly on Kovu.

But, to her surprise, Kovu turned away from the dusty-furred cub. As he left, he said over his shoulder, "No, I'm sorry, Tanga. Not today. Maybe tomorrow."

Kiara frowned. "Kovu's up to something," she said quietly to her mother. "He normally stops everything to be with the cubs."

Her own mother nodded her head in agreement. "He did seem a bit distracted," she agreed as she rolled onto her back and groomed Asuma's head. He had gone over to curl up against his grandmother's belly. "He must have found something when he was away patrolling."

Kiara pricked her ears. "You don't think it could be rogues, do you?"

Nala smiled at her daughter. "There is nobody out there that your father and Kovu cannot handle."

"Mother, what's a rogue?" Tanga asked Kiara.

"Come here, little one, and I'll tell you," Nala called her over.

As her mother explained the habits of lions who lived on their own as nomads, Kiara rested her chin on her paws, assuring herself that everything was fine.


	5. Waning Faith

**Simba heaved** a sigh as he opened his eyes. It was darker than dark in the warm, rocky den, but he could still see Kovu as he slept beside Kiara. Tanga had draped herself over the twitching back of her father, while Asuma was curled up under the chin of his mother, who smiled in her sleep as Simba looked on. Pushing himself to his feet, Simba stood and quietly padded past the intimate little family on his way outside.

"No… Zira… p-please…"

Simba pricked his ears, hardly believing what he had just heard. He hesitated next to Kovu just as he rolled over in his sleep, disturbing Tanga out of her slumber. She slipped off and shook her head, disoriented with sleep. As Simba continued on, his granddaughter watched him go before her attention turned to Kovu, who ground his teeth as his eyelids fluttered. He made a sound that alarmed her.

"Hey, wake up," Tanga whispered in his ear, a paw on his muzzle.

Kovu stirred and his eyes shot open. He jumped to his feet as if he were expecting an attack, but none came. Looking around, his eyes fell on Tanga as she brushed up against his foreleg. Luckily, none of this had disturbed Kiara or Asuma.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked her, sitting down and nuzzling her. He was thankful she had woken him.

"I saw Grandpa Simba," she replied.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Tanga confirmed, her jaws parting in a yawn. "He was watching us, and then he left. He looked kind of… worried. It was odd."

Kovu looked out to the starry, still night. What could Simba be worried about? Did he know somehow about Zira? Had he unwittingly said something in his sleep? So as to not worry his daughter, he smiled down at her. "I'll see if I can help Simba, okay?" he told her. "I'll just be a moment."

"Yes, Daddy…" Tanga lay down again and closed her olive-green eyes. Kovu suspected that she would be sound asleep once more by the time he returned.

The stars looked down upon Kovu and Simba as the former caught the king of the Pride Lands just as his paws touched grass at the base of Pride Rock. Simba heard Kovu call his name, and he glanced over his shoulder, flinching inwardly.

"Tanga said she saw you," Kovu said as he soundlessly walked down the rocks behind Simba. "She told me you looked worried."

Simba sighed and forced a smile. "Just a bad dream," he explained shortly. "I'm going for a walk to clear my head."

"You shouldn't be out here alone," Kovu blurted, leaping to Simba's side. He realized his mistake when Simba looked at him strangely. He opened his mouth to find an excuse, but could find none.

Simba found that he was smiling, unforced this time. He chuckled. "Don't worry, Kovu. I'll be fine. We don't have to worry about being stalked by your mother anymore, now do we?"

Kovu struggled to keep his composure, shocked by the irony of Simba's carefree joking, but managed a small laugh. "It's hard to forget, I guess" he said.

"Hakuna matata," Simba said, "No worries." He gestured with his head for Kovu to follow. They walked to the watering hole in silence together. Simba looked out of the corner of his eye at the younger lion as he glanced about nervously before he lapped slowly at the water, his green eyes still scanning the land. Sitting on the bank of the watering hole, Simba looked over the calm surface of the water, watching as the reflections of the bright moon and the twinkling stars quivered against the liquid sky they were cast upon like silver. Simba barely heard his name when Kovu uttered it despite the calm of the night, as if the savannah was waiting patiently for something to happen. An irking feeling crept up within Simba as he finally responded to the third calling of his name and stared back at Kovu through tired eyes.

"Simba, is something the matter?" Kovu asked. His brow was furrowed deeply.

"There is something I am worried about, Kovu…" Simba whispered.

"What?"

"…You…"

Kovu was silent. "Me?" he finally said, narrowing his eyes in hurt. "Why?"

Simba diverted his gaze. Kovu's intense, accusing eyes were making him uncomfortable. "Lately, I've been having… nightmares. They're not like the ones I used to have from time to time, but they're sort of the same."

"Are they about Scar?" Kovu guessed as he sat down, his flicking tail tip causing ripples in the water, distorting their reflections.

"Yes… and you, Kovu. That's why I'm worried." Simba cleared his throat before continuing. "Today, Nala thought I should go to Rafiki to talk about them. So I did."

"I heard," Kovu said. He looked down at the mud on his paws. "Well, what'd he tell you?"

Simba swallowed. How could he tell Kovu that he was beginning to feel threatened by him again? He had given Kovu his word and had ended any comparisons between his uncle and the young future king that in his dreams he embodied. Rafiki had seemed to know exactly why Simba had sought him out that afternoon, before he had said a word. That alone was unnerving. It wasn't completely clear to him, but Rafiki could tell Simba that Kovu wasn't free yet of "the darkness". He warned Simba to be careful of Kovu and to treat him like he would a son. He had to treat the situation with care. He couldn't allow the darkness he foretold to reclaim the young lion again.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Simba. I understand," Kovu said, his tone sore, once he recognized that he was losing Simba's faith in him again. He hated how this was happening now.

"Kovu…"

Kovu turned his face away so that Simba could not see the pain of the past as it resurfaced in his eyes. "Whatever that crazy baboon told you isn't true. Face it, he's getting old, and who bases their fortune telling on feathers and sticks? They're just dreams, Simba, that's it. You can trust me. Please, just stop this. You can trust me today and you will be able to trust me until you draw your last breath."

Simba realized his mistake too late, but it was as if his tongue had become lame, and it refused help to heal the situation. The dark-furred lion's words chilled him. Kovu finally turned to look at Simba, his eyes desperate, and Simba felt his heart break in two for him.

"But… if you desire so much to worry about something, you'll need to know about what I found this morning while I was out patrolling," Kovu told him after a moment or two.

"What is it, Kovu?"

"Rogues, Simba. I scented them along the border by the gorge this morning. And they left evidence-droppings, bones from a kill we never made, challenging markers."

He couldn't help but be frustrated. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier? Something like that is urgent." Simba shook his head. "It might just be hyenas passing through," he then suggested. He didn't want to get riled up if it was nothing more than that.

"You were off looking at the patterns of fallen twigs and pebbles, remember? And I couldn't say anything in front of the others. The last thing we need is a panic," reasoned Kovu. "I found their tracks. They weren't hyena, Simba. It's not wrong to assume that there are rogues about."

Simba growled lowly. He had better things to do than chase after some no-good rogues. But if he didn't at least look, who would? And he certainly couldn't send Kovu out by himself. Not only would it be dangerous if there really were rogues, it would make it look like he doubted Kovu's judgment.

"All right," Simba said, decided it best to let it go. He couldn't afford an argument with Kovu. "Show me first thing tomorrow."

A look of relief crossed Kovu's face. "Of course, Simba."


	6. Maybe Later

**For the **remainderof the night, Kovu lay sleepless with Tanga's warm body pressed against his face, her rhythmic breathing and the little wheezing sounds she made bringing him little comfort. As soon as the sky began to pale, he turned his head to will Simba awake with this eyes. When the king finally did stir, Kovu closed his eyes and stood to stretch, pretending he too had just awoken.

"Ready?" Simba asked.

Kovu nodded. "Ready as ever."

They were just stepping out of the den when Kovu heard Tanga call his name from behind. She ran up to him. "Daddy! Dad, where are you going?"

"Simba and I have something to do," he told her.

"Can't I come?" she piped.

"No, daughter, this is adult business. Too dangerous for youngsters. I'll be back later."

"Awww…" Tanga whined. "But when you come back…"

Kovu smiled. He knew what she was going to ask. "Maybe, Tanga. I can't promise."

Tanga sat down heavily as she watched Simba and her father depart. Zazu, the king's majordomo, followed as well from the air. She wondered where they were going exactly. When they were out of sight, she stood up again and began to follow, lured by the thought of some grand adventure.

"Tanga, where are you going? Did your father not tell you to stay behind?"

Tanga turned around. It was her mother. "Wellll…"

"He'll be back soon enough. Come back into the cave," Kiara suggested. "Your brother and Natin are awake."

"But I'd rather go hunting… Daddy keeps saying he will, but he's just too busy," Tanga replied sadly. She'd been eagerly waiting to spend time with her father, but she was constantly being disappointed.

Kiara stuck out a paw to guide her daughter back into the cave. The bright sun was already beginning to heat up the baking savannah. "Hunting is your father's prized skill, but I could always take you out to see the herds later," Kiara tried tempt her daughter.

"I guess," Tanga replied, less than enthused. She loved her mother, but there was something about being with her strong, stealthy father that would make the event of learning to hunt the most fun possible. She wanted very much to learn from the master. Obediently, she followed Kiara back into their den where she looked on as Natin bested Asuma at wrestling.

"Daddy never has time for us anymore…" she whispered to herself.


	7. Plotting Cubs

_**Hey you guys, this is Shembre! First off, I'd like to thank those who have been reading along, and those who have been reviewing, too. I really appreciate it, and I'm very glad that the emotions that I intended to come through are being noticed, and this gives me confidence.**_

_**I'll try to keep up on regular updates. I had planned to upload this chapter on Friday, but alas, the internet decided to fail me. For the foreseeable future, updates are planned for Fridays, Tuesdays, or both depending on the pace of the chapters.**_

**_Now, I present to you the next chapter :)_**

"**Doesn't that** cloud look like an elephant?"

"I guess. Don't they all sort of look like elephants?"

"Hmmm, I s'pose you're right. But that there… a giraffe for sure! Look at the thin neck."

Vitani had asked Natin to follow her shortly after Kovu and Simba had left, leaving Tanga and Asuma to watch clouds in order to pass the time. Nala and Kiara had gone off to organize a hunt for much later in the afternoon, leaving the bored cubs to their own devices. Tanga prayed she would be included in the hunt.

A shadow was cast over Tanga's face and she tilted her head back to find Natin looking down upon her. "Oh, hi, Natin," she piped, grinning.

"Cloud watching? You can't be serious, Lewa," Natin laughed, calling Tanga by his nickname for her, which meant beautiful.

"Well, there's nothing to do around here, Natin," Asuma spoke up, rolling over onto his belly. "Where did your mother take you?"

Natin's muzzle broke into a toothy, pleased grin. "While you were here, my mother was showing me how to stalk," he boasted. "_She_ says I have promising talent."

Tanga and Asuma both wilted. "Our father was supposed to take us to do that four days ago," Tanga told their cousin as she stood up and stretched before going down into a crouch. She lightly pounced on Natin and they began to play-fight.

"Maybe he will tomorrow…" added Asuma.

Natin quickly pinned Tanga. "But what if he doesn't tomorrow… again," he remarked. "Why can't it be today?"

"What do you mean?" Asuma asked, suspicious. He watched as Tanga struggled beneath Natin's paws. She knocked him off and he went tumbling acrobatically to the side. "What do you mean by 'today'?"

"What do I mean?" Natin cried, smiling. "We're big enough right? Who says we can't go ourselves? C'mon be a bit more adventurous, you guys! Puh… cloud watching!"

The brother and sister looked at each other. "Well, er… I'm not so sure… our parents wouldn't want-" Asuma began.

"-You to have fun?"

"Er, no-"

"To be independent?"

"Natin!" Tanga spat. "Stop it. Our parents told us to not go without an escort. It's dangerous."

"I'll be your escort! I know what I'm doing. I've seen my mother hunt dozens of times," he reasoned. "We'll be fi-ine."

"They'll notice that we're gone, Natin," Asuma reminded their cousin.

Natin sniffed. "Stick in the mud, Asuma," he muttered. He smiled. "They won't be none the wiser. Trust me, we'll be back long before they realize we've disappeared."

"And if they do?" Asuma asked. "They'll be mighty cross."

"If we catch anything, they won't have to worry about hunting later. They'll forgive us."

"I prefer to not have a reason to beg forgiveness. They will take us later."

Tanga then looked at her brother. She realized she was fed up. "But he is right. What if they choose _not_ to take us with them, Asuma?" she pointed out. "We'll still be bored. We have to prove to them that they can't push us around and forget their lousy promises."

"I think they'll still be mad…"

"Betcha scared!" Natin mocked. "C'mon, scaredy cub, live a little. I know you're just as tough as your daddy."

"I am of course, don't you ever doubt that!"

"Then why don't you, Asuma, prove it as fact?"

Asuma contemplated the pros and cons for a moment. He looked uncertainly from one face to the other. "…Maybe…" he muttered.

"That's a good boy," Natin laughed, taking this for an answer. He then moved to lead the way. "I'll be creating so much fun for you, you guys won't even realize it when the day is through."

"What did your mother teach you out there?" Tanga asked as she leaped to his side eagerly.

"The beginnings of what I'll need, one day, to be the best of the best-with help from her I'll be the best I can be," he replied, his head held high. "Your parents say we're all gonna rule together right?"

"But that's years away," Asuma remarked, joining them. "I think-"

Rolling his blue eyes, Natin broke in, "This can't wait another day. We'll rot away up here."

"-and with that, I'm perfectly fine," said Asuma.

"C'mon, brother, I know you're so much more fun than this." Tanga smiled, poking Asuma with a paw in the chest. "Sometimes I think, though, you'll sprout feathers and then wings and then a beak. You're a regular Zazu in the making."

"Am not!"

"Yes, you are!" both Tanga and Natin cried.

"Am not!"

"Yes!"

Asuma glared at them both. "Fine, if this is what you want, I'll prove it to you both, I'll play your stupid, silly little game, and make you eat your words!"

"Then do it, come with us!" Natin said.

"I think I will!"

"Fine!"

"Lead the way!"

Natin couldn't help but laugh. "This way then, my darlings," he cried triumphantly, as he jumped away and began running. "We must go before he changes his mind. The king has spoken!"

As his sister and his cousin raced away, Asuma paused before joining them to glance over his shoulder at the behemoth of Pride Rock just behind him. He saw his parents' glaring features in the patterns the rocks made. "… We're going to get in a lot of trouble for this…" he said quietly to himself.


	8. Tricksters

**So, Simba** didn't know how to trust him anymore, huh? Kovu brooded on this as he led Simba out to the border that morning, to the rogues that did not exist. He was determined to prove to Simba that he could be trusted, even if it meant showing him a well and alive Zira. As soon as Zira made her plea, no matter how heartfelt, Kovu would see to it that those would be her last words. Before, he had been planning to go out to Zira again, alone. Nobody would have been the wiser that she had survived, all evidence gone. Now he'd make an example of her.

"Kovu, are you sure you scented rogues?" Simba asked once they had come close to the border. "I see nothing."

Zazu, who had been scanning the sky, flitted down and alighted upon the golden lion's shoulder. "Nothing for miles to report, Sire." the hornbill reported. "Lot more I could be spending my time with…" he muttered.

"Yeah, I was sure," Kovu replied. His keen eyes searched the landscape. He saw no trace of his mother. "Positive."

"They seem to have left. Let's go home. Nala was planning a hunt, and I know your cub-"

Simba and Zazu both started when Kovu let out a horrendously loud roar. Without thinking, Simba smacked Kovu in the shoulder with his paw.

"Hey!" Kovu exclaimed, glaring at Simba. The fur along his spine was bristling.

"What do you think you are doing?" Simba asked, angry. "What's gotten into you?"

"I'm seeing if they will come to a challenge. Simba, they're out here. We have to protect the pride," Kovu said. He let out another roar.

Simba shook his head. He wasn't sure what Kovu was exactly trying to prove, and he had a feeling it wasn't just the existence of rogues. This was foolish.

"Sire, just leave him," Zazu insisted. "Perhaps he's gone crazy."

Simba said nothing to this comment as he turned back for home, his eyes closed in frustration. When he looked up, however, he saw something he never thought he would behold again. Squinting, a chill ran down his spine. Was it true, or had _he_ begun to go crazy?

"Kovu, what is this?" he raged. Kovu spun around. "Why is Zira here?"

Simba's face heated when Kovu seemed unsurprised. His face was too calm. As Zira came closer, Kovu looked at Simba with pleading eyes.

"Simba, she wants to beg your forgiveness," he whispered. "There were no rogues. I knew I would have to trick you in some way to get you out here."

Simba lunged at Kovu. This couldn't be happening! "This is an ambush, isn't it?"

Kovu lowered his body in submission, but Simba thought it was a joke. He lunged again as Kovu tried to explain. "Please just speak to her. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. She says we can't move on until this is resolved. What harm could it do just listening to her?"

"Clearly a lot," Simba scoffed. "I cannot believe you listened to her. She's a pathological liar, a sociopath!"

"Please-"

"Zazu, go for help!"

"Yes, S-"

"No, just listen to me!" Kovu shouted. "Trust me!"

Simba glanced from Zira, who now stood close enough for him to clearly see her somber expression and ragged, pale fur, and back to Zazu who sat ready to take off at any second. He turned his gaze back to Kovu.

"Talk fast," he told him with an edge of distrust in his voice.

Kovu nodded. "Simba, she wants to tell you something about some son you had, the reason we were exiled." Kovu hadn't wanted to say it, wanting to run away instead. But he also wanted nothing more than to regain Simba's trust. It was true he would probably never be forgiven for this stunt, but he had confidence that all would be right again in the end. He'd kill Zira right before Simba's eyes if he had to.

Simba was stunned into silence. "Chaka? She's going to admit that… she killed my son? My first born?"

Kovu nodded. He was happy it had worked to his advantage, although he was still a little confused about the situation. "Will you listen to her then?" he asked.

Simba watched Kovu's desperate face as he reluctantly nodded his head. "So long as this isn't a trick, too, I'll listen."

Kovu seemed to relax as he said, "It's not, I promise. No more tricks."

Simba's frown deepened, and he glared hard at Kovu. "Yes, because if this does turn out to be one, you will not escape punishment, do you understand?"

Kovu's ears flattened against his skull as he swallowed hard. "Yes, Simba, I understand."

"Now bring her over here."


	9. The Unfortunate Hunt

**Hey you guys! Time for another update! After this chapter, you'll really be hanging, so I'll try to update again on Tuesday. Thanks, new and old reviewers, for reading along. I hope the rest of this tale lives up to your expectations!**

**Onwards!**

"**Whoa, I** never thought there were so many of them!" Asuma breathed in awe as he looked over the plains from a rock with Tanga and Natin. Hundreds of black-and-white beasts grazed peacefully below them.

"Glad you came now?" Natin remarked. "I nearly brought one down this morning. They're fast suckers."

"I bet I could catch one," Tanga said.

Natin sniffed. "Yeah, right. They're faster and much smarter than they look."

"They're smarter than _you_, Natin? I never would have guessed!"

"No, that's not-"

Tanga smiled. "I'm kidding… but I would like to catch one. Wouldn't our parents be proud?"

"And possibly angry, too," put in Asuma.

"Stick in the mud," Tanga piped.

"Stop calling me that! I'm just saying we should be careful. They'll be fast, desperate, and let's face it, they are much bigger than us," Asuma said rationally.

"But if we were to work together like Mother and the others do…"

"I think that we've made a mistake."

"We're not going home, Asuma."

"Fine, then I am. This has been a bad idea from the start. I don't know how I even let you trick me into this."

"Bawk bawk baaaaawk!" the young lion heard Natin call behind him as he jumped down from the rock and started home. He cringed.

"I'm not scared, okay! Just, please, knock it off!" he shouted back.

"Fine, then you can watch us as we hunt," Tanga decided. She leaped from the rock, towards the herd. Natin, laughing, followed.

"Hey, hey!" Asuma clambered back onto the now empty rock. He stood there with the fur along his spine standing on end. "No, come back! What if one of us gets hurt?"

"We won't!"

Asuma sat down and growled in frustration. He knew he should be running back home for help, but he also didn't want them to get hurt and be alone. The fact that he too would be in trouble for hunting alone without an older lion kept him rooted to the rock. He sighed. Maybe he was being a stick in the mud.

Maybe he'd just watch

In the distance, Natin coached Tanga for a moment or two before they melded in with the grass. Asuma couldn't find a trace of them, not even of Natin who, next to Kovu, had the darkest fur in the pride. Asuma felt a little proud for his sister's ability to naturally become a huntress, but he also found it frightening. He couldn't see them after all.

The zebra then yelped and stampeded. Asuma stood up, and was relieved to see Tanga and Natin as they erupted from the bush. They chased the zebras as fast as they could.

"Go Tanga, go Natin!" he cheered them on even though he knew they couldn't hear him. They had singled out a young zebra that kicked and called out for the help that wouldn't come. His cousin ran at the front of the young creature, trying to keep it from running back into the herd that rumbled past them. Meanwhile, Tanga held back while she searched for the opportunity to leap upon its back. Asuma couldn't hear him, but he thought Natin shouted to Tanga, "Now!"

Asuma's jaw dropped. "Noooo!" As she leaped into the air, the zebra had kicked out perfectly, hitting her in the face with its hind leg. She went down hard. Natin allowed the zebra to escape so he could help her. Asuma leaped from the rock and raced down the hill, his eyes locked on Tanga until the zebra herd engulfed the hapless pair. Helplessly, he stood at the edge of the stampede while he scanned for them. When he couldn't find them, he pushed forward with a leap, but was immediately overwhelmed. He couldn't find them, and was moved along by the panicked flow of the herd. Unless he wanted to be trampled, he had no choice but to run with them, hot and scared bodies leaping every which way. He gasped, terrified as one soared over top of him as if he were any other obstacle. Smart, Natin had said, ha! These beasts were struck stupid with fright.

The herd finally out ran an exhausted Asuma, who was left alone to watch them continue on, taking their cloud of dust with them. He coughed and looked around when it had nearly cleared up and realized just how far he had traveled. There was no trace of Tanga, Natin, or anything that struck him as familiar at all. He had been out in the Pride Lands with his mother, father, Simba, or Nala accompanying him, but they had never gone far from Pride Rock. What more, he wondered if his escalating fear blinded him to familiarity.

"Hey, is anyone there?" He called out several more times, but there came no answer. He started to panic, his chest heaving with the beginning of a panicked sob. He knew he should have gone back home! Now he was lost and in big trouble. But he knew enough to realize he would have to follow the musky, trampled trail of the zebra herd back the way he had come.

He sat down heavily for a moment. "This is a fine one, Asuma…" he muttered.

"Mother and Father are sure to be furious. Hmmm… great…"


	10. The Murderers

**Zira paced** before him, her crimson eyes dancing with joy. She had done it, and now Kovu was the only thing standing between them, the only obstacle preventing her from finishing Simba off like she should have months before.

It had all gone awry. Zira had seemed peaceable enough in her explanation to Simba about his lost son, but when she had said she did not kill Chaka, that instead he could possibly still be alive, Simba had become angry. He had told Zazu to go for help, and while Kovu quickly subdued the bird in thoughtless panic, Zira took the opportunity to attack. He knew he should have expected it, but he still found it unbelievable and surreal. Kovu had desperately tried to stop them from fighting, but it had been no use. They tore at each other with every intention to kill their opponent. Now, he stood with his hind legs to Simba, who was stretched out on the ground, hardly coherent, and bleeding from his shoulder, face, and back. The broken-winged Zazu lay a few feet away, barely conscious.

Zira paced to the right of Kovu. His eyes did not leave her. She laughed. "Now look at what you have done, my son," she said. "How will you get out of this now? You cannot possibly be forgiven for this."

"What _I _have done?" Kovu roared, enraged. "This is _your_ doing, Zira! _You've_ ruined everything, just like always! I was so stupid to trust you!"

"I have done you a favor, Kovu! It was written before you were born for Simba to die and for you to succeed Scar in his place."

"Scar, Scar, Scar! He's the only one you ever truly loved!" he spat. He then scoffed, "Nuka told me once that Scar never even loved you back! You were but an eager, foolish lioness to him, the most willing to give him an heir, which he rejected!"

Kovu braced himself and swatted Zira to the ground when she lunged at him, her eyes like hellfire. She struggled to her paws, but once again she was knocked down. Kovu held her there. His claws drew blood and she roared in pain.

"What does it matter to you?" she cried. "I've sacrificed myself time and time again… and now I have finally done what my beloved could not accomplish!" She let out another peal of laughter that was laced this time with pain.

"Simba will see that I can be trusted. He'll live, and you'll die!"

"Look behind you, Kovu. Simba won't see me die because he's already dead," she told her son, peeking at the fallen king.

"Do you think I'll fall for that?"

"Kovu, he's dead! Look for yourself."

Kovu paused to make sure she could not free herself before he turned his head to look. Sure enough, she was right. "Noooo!" he cried, leaping to the king's side. "He's not breathing…" Kovu nudged Simba's head with his muzzle, but it failed to bring about a reaction of any kind. He couldn't believe this had happened.

"That stupid baboon was right…" Kovu whispered wretchedly. "Simba's dreams were right… I'm still nothing but a killer…"

"Stop your babbling," Zira spat as she pushed herself to her paws. She went to stand next to Kovu, to see her handy work for herself. She smirked. "You'll never be able to escape who you really are, Kovu."

"But I was so close…"

"Now you can become king in your own right, my son," Zira crooned. "All you have to do is lie to them. All you have to do is blame it on those rogues."

"No, I never could do that."

"Yes, you can, and you will. You were born to follow in Scar's pawprints."

He looked at Zira hard. "I'd rather let you kill me, to put me out of my misery, than become a pretender to the throne."

She shook her head adamantly. "Fool…" she muttered quietly. "I could never kill you."

"Why?"Kovu shouted.

To his surprise, Zira shrank back a little as she said, "You're… you are my son."

"You threatened to kill Vitani during the battle," he pointed out callously,

Zira shrugged. "I was caught up in the heat of the moment. I still wouldn't have killed her."

Kovu was silent and turned his face away to stare unseeingly at Simba. What could he do? His normally calculating mind was irritatingly blank. He had to come up with something quick. It would be easy to just lie, to never breathe a word of this again, wouldn't it? But could he live with himself-living with Simba's daughter, Simba's mate, Simba's grandchildren-and lying to their faces _every_ day? He thought could he never do that. "Mother…" he whispered.

"Yes, my son?" There was a little rise of hope in her voice that sent a chill through Kovu's numb body.

"Although your distorted sense of mercy stretches as far as your children, I cannot say the same to you."

He turned to stand over her.

Zira's eyes dilated as comprehension fell upon her. "What are you going to do...? You wouldn't kill your own mother, would you?" She backed up as Kovu came towards her, menacing her. She didn't recognize him. She had always been able to picture in him the young, sweet cub she had trained up into this killer no matter what, but now she couldn't see him at all. He was lost. Perhaps she had succeeded too much.

Futilely, Zira tried to scramble away, but she was yanked onto her back by Kovu's claws, which were sunk deep into her back. The wind was knocked from her when she hit the ground. She looked up at Kovu, who stood over her, the view of his face flipped. She gasped. His gaze held no emotion.

"Good-bye, and good riddance, Mother."


	11. The Lost and Found

**Hey guys, it's me again! Thought I'd post 2****nd**** chapter today to perhaps soften the blow of the last one so you at least have a sense of what direction this story is going to head in, and Friday is a while away. Yes, I'm one of those who "killed Simba off", but don't let it affect the story—though I don't mind sarcasm. It's all in the tension building and creating a massive problem and lots of turmoil for Kovu. Think about the stuff you've read up until now. And… you never know…**

**He felt** so small and weak.

He couldn't take another step, nor could he bother to find a place to hide when he flopped down, tears of self-pity running down his cheeks that mingled with the sloppy mud and the downpour that had started not long after he had started his trek back to Pride Rock. Along the way, the zebra herd's trail had gotten lost in the rain, and everything had begun to look and smell the same. Darkness was looming behind the heavy cloud cover, and it was coming fast. He knew there were excellent trackers in his pride, but he wasn't so sure if _they_ could find him. Hopelessness overwhelmed him as he wondered if he would ever see their smiling faces again. He thought it would be a miracle if they did.

His ear twisted to the sound of a grunt that was coming from someplace nearby, and he lifted his head. Shaking excess water and mud from his body, he stood ready to run at any hint of a dangerous attack. He hurried into a bush for cover, but just on the other side he could sense the creature that was making the noises. Through the leaf cover, he peered out. A rumble of thunder echoed across the land in the distance.

In the darkness, he could hardly make out the form of a creature that appeared to be dragging something a little bigger than itself. The creature muttered to himself through the fur of his load, and Asuma watched as he hid the motionless lump in a hole that must have been previously dug. A flash of lightening lit up the scene as the dark-maned lion backed away from the spot, once dirt had been pushed back over it, before he dashed away.

"Dad!" Asuma cried, bursting from the bush once he realized who the lion was. He chased after. "Dad!"

"Asuma?" The future king's voice sounded surprised and shaky. Asuma found him by his voice, nearly running into him. He leaped upon his father in his excitement.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Asuma cried, his voice a bit hoarse from calling out for help all day.

"What are you doing out here?" Kovu asked him. His bewildered expression was masked by the dark and his drenched mane which hung in his eyes. "Why aren't you at home?

"Natin talked us into going on a hunt with him, and I got lost when the zebra stampeded," Asuma explained. "With the rain, I didn't know how to find my way home. I-I thought I was going to die out here!" The young lion shuddered at that thought.

"Well, let's get you home," Kovu told him. "How long has it been since you left Pride Rock?"

He hung his head and sighed, thoroughly exhausted. Asuma said, "I'm not sure. Mother must be pretty worried about me, huh?"

His father frowned. "Yes. I'm happy that you're safe, Asuma, but this will not go unpunished. You must have known better."

_Why didn't I just go back for help in the first place,_ Asuma thought self-loathingly. "Yes, Sir… I'm sorry. It'll never happen again."

He expected his father to break his hard demeanor, but Kovu merely nodded. He seemed eager be on the move, and Asuma blamed it on the weather. He led the way, and sure enough, the lion said, "Let's go home and get out of this rain."

Asuma trailed behind his father for a while, plodding along at a quick pace, neither speaking until the young lion broke the silence.

"Didn't you know that I was lost?" he asked, curious. "Weren't you looking for me with the rest of the pride?"

Kovu didn't reply instantly, but after a few moments he told him, "Why would you think that I wasn't?"

Asuma thought this response was a little strange. "Well, you were hunting, weren't you?" he said.

"You never pass up an opportunity for food, Asuma," Kovu told him.

"Aren't we going to bring it home then…?"

"Later I'll take care of it."

This didn't exactly satisfy Asuma, but he sensed his father wasn't going to say more than this. All he said was, "Oh… okay." _Why is he being so short with me?_ he wondered. _Did I do something wrong? Am I that much of a disappointment?_


	12. Heavy Realization

**Kovu had** planned to stay away as long as he could. All day he had hidden himself away until the rain and darkness had driven him to finish hiding the ravaged bodies that were causing him so much grief, and just after, Asuma had unluckily appeared. In life, Simba and Zira had shared the same hatred for each other that had affected their families for years. In the end, they had shared a death of equal violence.

The rain, which had begun to slow, had more than thoroughly cleaned his paws and face of all traces of blood. Despite that however, as he approached his domain which was silhouetted against the stark grey night, his skin itched and his fur felt sticky. He feared he wouldn't be able to hide his guilt. When the father and son finally reached Pride Rock, the inside of the cave was only occupied by Tanga, Natin, and one other lioness, who said the rest of the pride was still out searching for their prince. When the two cubs saw Asuma, they knocked him to the ground with shear delight.

While the Asuma and the others stayed in the cozy den, Kovu went to the tip of Pride Rock and stared out, scanning the dark land with his sharp sight, but finding nothing. He couldn't hear anything either except the occasional rumble of thunder. He closed his eyes for a moment.

Even if he couldn't hide his guilt, he hoped the few scratches on his body from his fight neither he nor the rain could wash away, wouldn't give him up. For now his sopping wet fur hid the damning evidence, but once the sun came up and he dried out, he would either have to fess up and explain that Zira had killed Simba because of him… or lie. He found himself begrudging his son for making him return home once more when he would have much rather ran away.

_You can do this, Kovu... This has been such a mistake, but it can be done._

His roar filled the night, and he waited patiently for a response that he wished would not come. But it did. He distinctly heard the roar of Vitani respond to his. Separately, Nala and Kiara gave similar calls. He roared again, and waited impatiently for them to appear.

Little time passed before a group lead by Nala and Kiara approached Pride Rock. They stood below and called up to Kovu, their pelts mussed up and surely soaked through. He hardly noticed that Kiara looked miserable as she thought fretfully about her son.

"They're out searching for Asuma," Nala told Kovu. "I wasn't sure if you knew. You haven't found him, have you?"

"Asuma found me," Kovu called down to them. "I've called for Vitani, who should be coming back soon."

Upon his words, Kiara bolted away from her group and started to quickly climb up the side of Pride Rock. Still below, Nala could be heard saying, "Oh, thank the spirits…" The queen nodded for the other lionesses in the searching party to follow her up to Pride Rock as well. Kovu had gone to greet Kiara, although he cringed inwardly at the idea. She embraced her mate, sobs of joy making her shudder.

"Oh, Kovu, I'm so glad you were there to find our boy," she said, sniffing. She nuzzled his mane.

Crushing guilt made it difficult for Kovu to be so close to his mate. "It's over now, Kiara. He's safe," he said steadily. "Why don't you go in and see him?" he then suggested.

Kiara pulled away and nodded through her tears. She turned away from him and went into the den where Asuma's excited cry for his mother could be heard half a heartbeat later. As the other lionesses and Nala went into the den as well, Kovu followed them, shaking his wet mane out at the mouth of the cave. He sat down and looked on as his family surrounded Asuma, who was encircled by his mother's forelegs as she vigorously cleaned his mucky fur like she had when he was much smaller.

Moments later, Vitani and several other lionesses appeared in the mouth of the cave where Kovu still sat near. With one glance at Kiara and Asuma, she asked who had found the young lion. "Was it Kiara?" she guessed.

"No, Asuma found me," Kovu muttered, unable to control the emotion in his voice. He was hardly there consciously as it was while he went over and over in his mind what he should do about his problem.

Vitani frowned and raised a brow at her brother. "I would think you'd be happy about that, Kovu."

Motioning her closer, he leaned into his sister's ear. "I need to talk to you outside for a minute."

Vitani shrugged. "It's a little wet out, you know. Just tell me, what is it?"

Kovu's lip twitched, and he frowned as he leaned in closer. "I need you to help me look for Simba," he spoke, even quieter than before.

"Why? He'll return home on his own," Vitani replied, shrugging indifferently. "He must still be out looking for Asuma. I'm sure he heard us calling."

"No… I need _you_ to help me. Only _I_ know _where_ to find him."

Vitani narrowed her eyes and frowned skeptically. "Kovu…" she began, but broke off. He knew she wanted to say more. Instead she said, "Fine, I'll help you. We'll go at first light."

Dawn was hours away. Kovu gritted his teeth, having no choice but to agree. If Simba were alive, he wouldn't have to be so anxious about finding him. In an effort to appear less odd, he nodded. "At first light."

The entire pride had gathered around Asuma. Tanga and Natin hung close, but they looked guilty, as if they were trying to stay off the excited adults' radar.

"Where is Father?" Kiara asked suddenly when she looked up, she glanced about, her brows arched with worry.

Nala cocked her head and looked around, too. "I would have thought-"

"He must still be out looking for the cubs," Vitani put in with a small chuckle. "Kovu and I were going to look for him at dawn if he's not back by then."

"We'll move faster in a smaller group," Kovu put in. He ignored the look Vitani flashed him. "We could go now even," he added, forcing a smile. "He cares about them so much, I doubt he'd rest until he's found Asuma."

"Alright," Nala said with a nod. "It might be best if you waited until morning, though. He might even be back by then. Since Zazu isn't here, either, they must be together. If something was wrong, Zazu would have flown back here by now."

_But I want to go now..._ Kovu ground his teeth. He was also reminded that he hadn't noticed if Zazu was there at the scene when he had taken care of Zira and Simba's bodies. _That bird! He better not fly back by himself, or so help me-_

Kiara stood up, and began to herd the cubs to their usual sleeping spots. "Time for sleep," she said. Vitani left Kovu's side and went to curl up with her son. Natin snuggled into her belly fur and promptly laid still, a smile on his muzzle. Kovu grimaced. He had no choice but to go and lay down with his mate and cubs. His paws felt heavy and useless as he padded over to join them.

"I'm glad you were there to find Asuma" Kiara thanked Kovu. She licked his cheek before yawning cavernously. With heavily hooded eyes, she added, "And don't worry about my father. He can take care of himself. He'll be back before sunrise, I'm sure."

Kovu grinned. "Yeah," he agreed shortly, lying down as she settled in with Asuma's head resting against hers, their eyes firmly closed. Kovu knew he should try to get some sleep, too, and he knew he should be exhausted, but he planned to leave right at first light. He didn't want to be caught with his eyes shut when the dark sky began to grow pale.

Tanga came bouncing up to him then, her eyes warm and her muzzle wide with a smile. Kovu noticed then that there was a dark mark on her cheek that caused one of her eyes, which were of a lighter green than his, to not open as widely as the other. Kovu guessed it might have something to do with Asuma and the hunting excursion he had mentioned, but Kovu was too strung out to bother asking.

"Asuma said you saved him," she remarked. She lay in front of him with the tips of her paws just grazing his. Kovu wanted to move them, but he knew he couldn't as Tanga went on.

"I'm glad you were there…" Her head then dropped and she sniffed. Before Kovu could open his mouth to speak, she jumped forward and nuzzled his chest. "I shouldn't have talked him into going with us," she sobbed quietly, her voice muffled. "I would have felt terrible if he had died because of it!"

"What...?" Kovu murmured.

Realization then hit him hard. What if he _hadn't_ been there? Inwardly, he had been angry with his son not for disobeying him, but for nearly catching him in the act of hiding Simba's body. His whole decision to hide the truth would have been blown away. He had been so worried about himself that he had been blind to this. What _had_ he been thinking? He could have lost his son forever.

Kovu smiled and nuzzled his daughter back. "Look, it's alright," he told her, his voice soft. "You're all safe now. No worries... what's that thing Timon and Pumbaa are always saying?"

"Hakuna Matata."

"There you go."

"You're not mad at me, are you?" she asked, sniffing again. "It was my fault he got lost. I was stupid and got hurt. He went to go find me."

"No, I'm not mad," Kovu said, shaking his head. "I just want you to listen to your mother and I next time. We know what's best, you know that."

"Yeah... okay," she said. She then lifted a paw and pointed to her cheek. "But I would have caught that foal though if he hadn't kicked me here!"

"Really?" Kovu replied. He rested his chin on his paws, and Tanga did the same.

"Yeah. Natin and I were working together, just like I've seen you and the lionesses do." His daughter began to blink slowly. There was a pause before she said, "Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"Are you _ever_ going to take us hunting? I really want you to take us out… and you keep promising us…"

Kovu gave her what he thought she might want to hear. "As soon as your mother and I see fit," he said. "Just because I'm not mad at you doesn't mean your actions aren't going to go unpunished."

Tanga rolled her eyes tiredly. "Of course, Daddy," she whispered. "I understand." She then closed her eyes. "Night, Daddy…"

"Good night," he told her as she rolled over with her back to him.

Kovu closed his eyes as well, rolling over so he could face the entrance of the den. He then reopened his eyes and looked around the cave for Nala. Usually, she would be sleeping in the same place she had slept every night since Kovu had first been permitted to sleep in the den with the others, right next to where Simba once slept. If she had been lying there, and not at the entrance of the den, it would have made the king's empty spot look all the more vacant to Kovu. As he watched the queen, his eyes starting to grow heavy, he wondered if that would be his new sleeping spot once everyone knew that her mate was dead. He was next in line, after all.

As if Nala, who was acting as a sentry in the wake of Simba's return, had sensed Kovu's gaze, her green eyes opened and she scanned the inside of the dark cave. Kovu quickly closed his eyes to avoid being caught.

_This mistake will not be my downfall_, Kovu thought to himself. _I'll do whatever it takes to keep my pride._


	13. Momentum

**Hey you guys! Hope your still enjoying the story! I've been working hard this past weekend to really work on this story, especially the emotional parts. This story has been an experiment with tension and foreshadowing for me. I also combined a couple of chapters that were quite short into bigger ones. I'll try to aim for a wc of around 2,000 per chapter when possible so that they're still of manageable lengths.**

**Thank you, my reviewers, for coming back and leaving your comments. They're very appreciated, and I've probably already said before :)**

**Enjoy today's installment!**

"**Wait!** **Where** are you go-?"

Asuma tripped and rolled head over paws with a yelp. Thick mud was caked heavily on his fur, and it ran into his eyes. He cried out in desperation again for his father, blind, and deafened by the deep growl of pounding thunder. He coughed. "Dad!"

He stroked the mud from his burning eyes, and when he opened them, a white flash lit up the scene before him like the midday. It lasted unnaturally long while he crept towards a shuddering bush. The storm was harsh overhead, but somehow there was no wind. _I can hear those angry roars again, too,_Asuma thought, cocking his ear to the sounds in the distance.

In his sleep, Asuma kicked his leg, waking himself up with a jolt. He sighed. He was sore from his nose to his tail, and he hadn't slept well. All night, he had drifted in and out of the same, eerie dream. Wasn't it enough that he had experienced it first hand? He hoped that the dreams would go away after he fully recovered from his ordeal. He didn't think that he would be able to stand it for long if they continued.

"Where's Dad?" he asked Tanga, who was resting next to him. Their mother was still sleeping, as were several other members of the pride. Outside the den, the sun was bright and growing hotter by the moment. He stretched his paws out in front of him and yawned.

Without opening her eyes, Tanga muttered, "He and Vitani already left. They were going to look for Grandfather, remember?"

"Oh, right." He didn't feel much like sleeping now that the ever-present threat of nightmares was just waiting to pounce and drag him back under. Instead, he wandered outside of the den and looked over the expanse of the Pride Lands. His grandfather once told him that someday he would inherit all that he could see when he became the king of Pride Rock. Scanning that land, he eagerly took it all in. He didn't want to ever be lost again on his own land, not even disoriented. He thought it was embarrassing enough that he had been lost once.

The young lion's ear swiveled to the sound of hooves, and he turned to find a warthog and his meerkat companion, who rode comfortably on his head, climbing slowly up the side of Pride Rock. He grinned at the sight and raced over.

"Hey!" he cried happily in greeting. "You're back!"

"You betcha, kid!" the meerkat said as he jumped down with a small thud. Placing his wrists on his narrow hips, Timon looked Asuma up and down. "You've gotten bigger since we last saw you."

"Awe, if only they could be cubs forever..." Pumbaa cooed warmly.

"Yeah, it was just yesterday that your mommy and Simba were just little guys," Timon agreed. "And speaking of little guys, where is everyone?"

"Most of everyone is sleeping, but my dad and Vitani are looking for Simba."

Both Pumbaa and Timon raised a brow in worry.

"Oh, what for?" Timon asked.

Asuma deflated a little. "It's my fault really... Yesterday I got lost, and everyone had to go looking for me. They're looking for Simba to tell him that they found me. He must still be looking, because he hasn't returned home yet."

"Well, that's Simba for you," Timon remarked, a hint of pride in his voice. "What a go-getter!"

"Don't worry, Asuma," Pumbaa said. "They'll find him. They're good at that."

"Yes, very. Now, let's go wake up your family. They may be lions, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind being woken up by a visit from us."

As he followed him inside, Asuma knew they were probably exhausted from the rain-soaked night of searching, but he had to agree. They'd have no problem with such a wakeup call.

* * *

"This was what you were doing while we were searching for your son? Kovu, how could you be so stupid!" Vitani lamented, disappointment lacing her words. With a knot in her gut, she gazed down at the shallow grave that her brother had dug for the deceased king, only to have hastily excavated part of it to show him to Vitani. It was a grisly sight that she had to turn away from, and she had previously considered her stomach to be very strong. There had been bodies in the Outlands, but seeing the king dead like this disturbed her.

"Why did this happen? How? _How_, Kovu!"

But he wasn't paying attention, distracted by the task of looking for Zazu. After Nala reminded him about the majordomo, of how he was a _very_ biased witness, he had been itching to find the king's bird. Kovu thought the injured bird couldn't have gotten far, but there seemed to be no trace of him. Only a scraggly feather or two. This worried him sorely. He secretly hoped the bird had been carried off by a predator.

"Kovu!"

He snarled when Vitani smacked him on the shoulder. His ears pressed against his skull. "It was an accident, Vitani!" he shouted angrily despite knowing that his sister was bound to be furious with him, and rightfully so. Somehow, he was going to have to turn this situation into his favor. His gamble depended upon it.

"This was no accident. He's dead, Kovu, _dead_! Why haven't you told anyone about this?"

"It's complicated."

"He's dead, Kovu. That's not complicated at all."

Kovu ground his teeth. "Before I explain, I need you to see something else."

"What, another dead body?" Vitani sneered with the roll of her eyes.

Kovu pursed his lips. He knew by the look on his sister's face that he was not hiding his guilt well at all.

"Kovu... what did you do...?"

"Just trust me. You'll see."

Kovu turned and led Vitani near to the spot where Zira had fallen, noticing instantly that a stomach-churning stench was emanating from it. Overhead, more than a few buzzards were circling, though none had touched the meat. He hadn't bothered to do much with her except push her into a nearby thorn bush, and he thought that was generous enough. _The buzzards don't even want her..._Kovu thought as he gestured for his sister to come closer with a nod, and she came to stand beside him, looking down past the leaves. For a moment she saw nothing, but upon the sight of the clearly dead lioness, she leaped back, nearly losing her footing. Her expression was somewhere between disgust and astonishment. She made a gagging sound.

"Kovu, what happened to her?" Vitani's voice shook. "Her throat-"

"She found me and begged me to bring Simba to her," Kovu began to explain. "It got ugly and-"

"That was your first mistake," she spat. She growled, "Why would you bring Simba to slaughter like that?"

"I never thought she could look so pathetic," Kovu continued, his tone surprisingly dull as he defended himself. "She wanted mercy, saying we could all move on if she got it. It seemed simple enough. Just a request."

Vitani rolled her eyes again. "And you _believed_ her? I don't know about you, but I moved on the moment she threatened my life on the battlefield."

"But she threatened to come near our cubs, Vit-"

"We would have been able to deal with her if she had dared. But this still doesn't explain how you were able to get Simba to talk to her. Kovu, you should have killed her on sight, or at the very least, brought her back to Pride Rock where you wouldn't be alone with her. I would have thought that you best of all would know what she's capable of!"

"I know, I know!" Kovu shouted. He growled. "I thought I could handle the situation myself. All she wanted was to admit to a crime she had committed- the one that got us exiled."

"It was because she was a follower of Scar, you know tha-"

"No, there's something else that she never told us," Kovu said sharply. "Simba had a son."

"What?"

"We were exiled because Simba believed she killed him. She was going to confess to him that she killed him... or at least that's the impression I had. When Simba agreed to speak with her, she admitted nothing. She went as far as saying that his son may still be alive. That's when Simba attacked her and they fought to the death. I tried to break them apart, but they wouldn't stop, and... and..."

Kovu lowered his eyes in shame. "Look, I screwed up, okay? It got out of paw and she killed him. I _never_ meant for this to happen. Simba's trust in me was fading and I wanted to prove myself to him- to give him some closure for his son. I planned to kill her after she spoke her piece. I was desperate! "

"Did you?"

Kovu's body hung even lower. "Yes... I had to. She was still alive when Simba died."

"You should have known better, Kovu. And as much as I hate to say it... you shouldn't have murdered her."

Kovu rolled his eyes now. He had had enough. He shook his head vigorously. "Will you just stop chastising me like a cub? I brought you here to hel-"

"No!" Vitani began backing away from him. "Do you think I'll go down like this? I have a son and a good life. You're on your own. Had I known about this, I would not have come here with you."

"And do you think that I have any less to lose? What's done is done! And think about what will happen if they were to find out- I'll be exiled for sure."

"And that's my problem? You might as well do us all a favor and run."

"Yes, it is," Kovu snapped. His tone of voice changed. "What do you think will happen to the pride if they make me leave, Tani? I'm the only adult male now. There is _nobody_ else besides me to protect those lionesses, or the cubs- especially those young ones. Think about what would happen to the Pride Lands if a rogue were to take over? You can't guarantee the temperament of a new ruler, which they do not need right now. The lionesses are tough, but they will need to mate eventually. It'll throw the balance off so much more if they know the truth. Please," Kovu begged, following her as she continued to back away. He felt terrible, the lowest ever in his life. He thought things had changed for the better, his one desire in life since he had learned there was more than murdering and conquering, but they had only pulled back in full reverse. In seeking what he wanted, he'd caused himself pain. "Please, you have to help me."

Vitani glared hard at him, her lip twitching and the hair along her spine standing on end. "No, Kovu. You are on your own."

"Then at least consider how this will make Nala feel... the truth would devastate her. And how would Kiara react? I promised her that I had my back turned to the past. She can't think that I'm responsible for her father's death. And my cubs! I'd lose them forever, and a new ruler would oust them, and _none_ of them would get to rule in their own right. It'll be much easier on the pride if we lie. They'll be saddened at first, but-"

"Then why don't you, Kovu? Why don't you lie your tail off?"

He narrowed his eyes. "If I lie about this to protect them, then you'll be lying, too. And if you decide to tell them... Think about your son, Vitani."

Vitani said nothing, but her eyes narrowed.

"If this is going to work, we have to trust each other. I believe we can do this."

After a moment, Vitani spoke, her tone quiet. "Do you think that you can live with this lie, Kovu? It's all yours to bear. Even with everything you've threatened, it would still cost me little to confess. Do you think I'm afraid of you, Kovu?"

Kovu growled, closing his eyes. "I'll take this with me to the grave," he muttered.

"What do you plan to tell them?"

_Is she accepting the task?_"I'll say it was rogues," Kovu explained, borrowing Zira's suggestion. "He must have been ambushed. We found him just now and buried him so he will keep until the rest of his family can see him and move him to be properly buried. We wouldn't want the wildlife getting to him now, would we?"

Vitani looked away. "This is crazy." she said under her breath. "They'll be looking for these rogues, you know."

"They've run for their lives. You see those marks on Simba? He must have given them something to remember him by. He died bravely, just as he lived."

Visibly, Vitani swallowed hard. "You're really going to do this then. You're really going to lie to them? Even though, they'll figure it out eventually, and if last night was a sample of you handling yourself, they'll figure it out quickly."

"No, _we're_ going to be lying to them. They won't figure it out because they won't want to believe it. If they suspect me, the thought of me returning to my past ways will be so distasteful that they'll do anything to not believe it."

"Well..." Vitani then stood a little firmer, and leveled her gaze at Kovu. "When they do figure it out, you're on your own. You will not incriminate me, you will not tell them that I even knew what you were doing. I will not be brought down by you. I am only doing this for the sake of the pride in the long run. Otherwise, I'd betray you in a second. Do you understand?"

Kovu ground his teeth. He could have guessed what her terms were going to be without her saying them and wasting his time. He was just glad she was on his side for the most part, though he'd never be able to completely trust her. "Fine," he agreed grudgingly.

She nodded slowly. "Just answer one question for me, Kovu."

"Yes?"

"Did she ever say she did this for you? So that you could finally take your place as king, as Scar's heir? After all, it's the whole reason for the war. How much of a difference is there now?"

Kovu hesitated for a moment before he replied.

"No, she never said a word of it."

**Well, I hope I didn't stray too far off Vitani's character... look for updates this Friday, or maybe earlier depending upon the progress of the story. I've had chapters on backup, but it seems like I'm posting them faster than I can write new ones.**


	14. Repercussion

**A golden **blade of grass tapped at Tanga's nose. She batted at it, and rolled over onto her back to play with it until it and several others had broken off in her teeth. She knew she was taking her frustration out on it, having been told to stay hidden in the tall grass while the hunting party had all the enjoyment, but she didn't care. It was just grass.

Told to stay with the cubs, Timon and Pumbaa unfaithfully watched the trio a few lengths away from behind their eyelids. Every so often Tanga could hear them wheeze in their sleep. She was tempted to disappear from their care. But... _we're already in enough trouble. Better stay here and be bored... Uhhgg!_

"If you two had listened to me, we'd probably be hun-"

"If you say that word, I'll make you eat this," Natin threatened moodily while he rolled a beetle between his paws. After it had its fill of harassment, it flew away.

"Daddy said he'd take us out as soon as we're done with our punishment," Tanga piped. "I just hope it's soon. He keeps saying he will... but then he doesn't."

"I don't know about you, but I had a good thing going. _My_ mother was taking me out on a regular basis..."

"_You_ were the one with the bright idea to go hunting," Asuma said, frowning.

"Nobody forced you into taking me up on my offer, Asuma."

"Why you..."

Tanga's ear flicked to the side, and she sat up to see over the grass. Growling and yowling, Asuma and Natin wrestled, stirring up dirt and waking Timon from his nap.

"Hey, keep it down, will ya?" he muttered. When he saw that they weren't going to listen, he rolled over and snuggled down deeper into Pumbaa's warm mane.

"Something's going on."

"Did they bring down a kill yet?" Natin asked Tanga. Asuma was pinned beneath him.

But Tanga didn't reply. She jumped through the tall grass over to her pridemates. At the arrival of Kovu and Vitani, both breathless and dusty, they had begun to gather around. Tanga stood to the side, watching, and soon her brother and cousin were at her side.

"Kovu, what's the ma-"

"Kiara, something's happened to your father."

"Simba?"

"Yes, Nala, we've found him, but..."

"Well, what happened? Where is he?"

Natin crept closer when the voices of the distressed lionesses began to overpower one another. Tanga looked on anxiously. She lowered her ears to the sound of gasping lionesses and the sight of Natin cringing away from them. He dashed back to his cousins.

Before he could utter a word, Tanga felt her face flush with heat. "He's dead!" Natin exclaimed. Tears were beginning to form in his blue eyes. "Simba's dead!"

Asuma gasped. "How?"

"They think it was rogues, that he was ambushed last night," Natin reported. "They're aren't entirely sure yet."

Asuma flinched, and his chin began to quiver.

"I can't believe it... Grandfather... dead? Murdered in cold blood?" Tanga choked out. "Why would someone do this to him?"

"I don't know, but who ever killed him is sick," Natin growled. "They must have wanted our land, but were too cowardly to challenge us the honorable way. Only cowards need to use an ambush to win a fight."

Asuma collapsed then, his paws hugging his head. Tanga could hear him sobbing through his arms. "He's dead b-b-b-because of m-me!"

Crouching down, Tanga nuzzled her brother, her eyes wide. "It's not your fault," she told him.

"Yes! He was looking for me!" Asuma wailed, his voice muffled.

While Tanga ran her tongue over the light fur of Asuma's head, Natin responded to the call of his mother.

"We're over here."

At the sight of Asuma, Vitani growled softly. "How did you cubs hear?"

"Natin told us, and now Asuma's upset. He thinks it's his fault Simba's dead," Tanga explained to her aunt.

"But it is!"

Vitani's brow wrinkled with concern, and her tailbrush flicked wildly. A strange look crossed her face for a moment that Tanga thought was pity for Asuma before she composed herself again. "I'm taking you cubs back to Pride Rock," she said. "There's no point in being out here."

"What about Simba?" Tanga asked.

"Don't worry, your father is taking them out to investigate and bring him home for burial. Now come."

"C'mon, Asuma, we have to go." Tanga nudged her brother to his paws. He was in such a state that he could hardly walk to follow Vitani.

Natin was at Asuma's other side. "Here, maybe I can carry him on my back..."

Asuma stopped. "No, I don't need you to carry me." He sniffled. "I can do it myself."

"All right then..." Natin muttered. He and Tanga continued forward with the distressed cub walking slowly between them.

_This couldn't be even more of a tragedy..._ Tanga thought sadly. _What will we do without him?_

* * *

"None of us can say how long our time will be on this land, but what I can say is that this king spent his well. Through the death of his own father..."

Word of Simba's tragic death spread quickly through the whole of the Pride Lands, and a few creatures had even made the effort in one way or another other to make their condolences clear to the mourning pride. The land had lost its king who had brought it back to life after the reign of Scar. It was time now for the sun of the new king, Kovu, to rise, and the morning of the next day, he would proclaim himself as such with Kiara at his side. They'd rule in their own right in the place of the fallen king.

Rafiki's young shaman apprentice, Tswane, was taking the place of Rafiki at the burial ceremony. The young mandrill had reported that the old shaman had been missing since the storm, and had not given him an explanation about his disappearance. Another creature that the pride was missing was Zazu, but after finding the few muddy, fallen feathers at the scene of Simba's murder, they had all unfortunately guessed that the rogues had taken off with the hornbill. Kovu still held his suspicions about the bird's true whereabouts.

Tswane cleared his throat and straightened his back a little as he came to the closing of the ceremony, leaning on a stick of his own that was similar to his master's. "With the passing of one king, a new one will rise to the task of caring for his pride," he said before turning to Kovu. "I wish you luck, sire."

"Thank you, Tswane," Kovu said sullenly. _But I'll need more than luck..._ He was certain that there would no trouble keeping the true story surrounding Simba's death away from his family, deafening them to the real facts with the lie that he had been victimized by savage rogues. Zira's body had been disposed of, and nobody could guess she had ever survived the fall into the river. He was going to get away with this, and surprisingly the promise of it thrilled him slightly, or at least no more than he would allow himself to be. He didn't much like the thought of keeping the truth from them, but he knew it would be worse if they knew. So long as Vitani didn't decide otherwise, they would never know.

The members of the pride broke up the ring that had surrounded the mound of freshly churned earth where Simba's body now rested, peacefully or otherwise. While Kovu and the cubs departed as well, Kiara remained back with Nala, who had not moved from the spot since her mate had been placed there. Timon and Pumbaa were there for the grieving lioness as well. At first, Kovu didn't pay attention to what his cubs were speaking about, but he listened carefully when he finally did.

"It's all right, Asuma," Tanga said. Asuma was trudging along between his sister and Kovu. "He's in a better place now."

"How can I possibly feel all right?" Asuma muttered. Kovu noticed that his head was hanging low. "He'd be here with us now if not for me..."

"Oh... Asuma..." Tanga crooned sympathetically. But she didn't continue.

Vitani had mentioned that Asuma had taken the news hard, and that he believed it was his fault that Simba had died while supposedly searching for the lost cub. By the time Asuma had been seriously lost, Kovu knew that Simba had already been dead. Kovu had been disturbed when he had heard Vitani tell him about Asuma, never having dreamed that this would happen. But, he was helpless to comfort his son and lighten his conscious. _I'll have to try everything else to make him see that it wasn't his fault_.

"You haven't been sleeping much lately, I've noticed, Asuma," Kovu spoke up. "When we get back to the den, we can take a nap. I'm sure everyone else in the pride will want to lay low for the rest of the day, too."

"Nobody much feels like doing much, but the last thing that I want to do is sleep. I don't want to sleep," Asuma said sullenly.

"Well, why not?" Tanga asked for both her father and herself.

The prince shrugged and noticeably blinked. "I've been having these strange dreams. They're scary."

"What are they about, son?"

"I can't get over being lost even though I'm safely home again, and these dreams are getting worse. I'm in a storm, and I can hear angry lions roaring in the distance somewhere, but I can't find them." Asuma then shook his head, stopping his story abruptly. He looked up at Kovu. "But I don't really want to talk about them right now. Dad, did you ever bring your kill home?"

Kovu frowned. "What kill, Asuma?"

"You remember, the one you were hiding when I found you in the rain. That one."

"Oh, that one." Kovu had forgotten about the lie he had told Asuma, and he promised himself he would work harder to be more careful about what he said. "I didn't have the time to go back for it, and scavengers must have found it by now," he said.

"Is there any way that I can make it up to you, Dad?"

"What do you mean?"

Tanga smiled wide. "I think he means that he wants to help you hunt, Daddy," she said. "Oh, please, can we? It would be so much fun, and you keep promising us you will! Please?"

An easy smile widened Kovu's jaw. "All right then. I'll take you for a hunting lesson in a few days. By then, I'm sure your mother won't mind and everyone will be ready to start moving forward again."

"Yay! Thank you, Daddy."

Tanga raced ahead to the den while Asuma remained behind with Kovu, who had to slow his pace for the depressed cub so they could remain walking side by side. A churning feeling in Kovu's gut made him want to run after his daughter, but he knew he had to stay. _It'll be cruel if he feels guiltier than I do,_ he thought regretfully to himself.

"Have you talked to anyone about this, Asuma?"

"About the dreams?"

Kovu struggled for something to say. "This remorse that you're having. Simba's death was not your fault."

"Not entirely," Asuma replied, "but he'd still be alive if-"

Kovu shook his head. "Things happen, Asuma, and we can't stop them. It's not our place. Simba's time to join the Great Circle was at that time, and the circumstances of if were just unfortunate. We _all_ die."

"Well... it just was unfortunate, wasn't it..." Asuma muttered before sniffling. His son glanced up at him and then sat down. "I think I'm going to stay down here for a little bit, okay? I need some alone time."

They had stopped near the rocks that lead up onto Pride Rock and into the den. "Just don't stay here for long, Asuma," Kovu told him. "It'll be dark soon, and your mother will want you inside."

The young lion nodded, but said nothing. Swiftly, he turned his face away from Kovu.

As Kovu climbed upwards, heading to the warm den, he felt a twinge not of pity or guilt of his son, but one of irritation. He tried to not let it get the best of him. For now, he told himself that Asuma was grieving, and soon enough he would come to realize that Simba's death wasn't his fault. It was just too reminiscent of what Simba's past had been, and from what Kovu had heard, the dead king had suffered for it. He couldn't ignore this and hope it went away. _The fault is mine. This is my burden to carry, not yours. You have to understand that._

All he could do was hope for the best. After the next sunrise, there would be no turning back.


	15. Drought and Worries

_**A/N: Hi there! I hope this chapter starts to REALLY put things into perspective. From here on out, it'll start to truly focus on my main idea for this story in the long run. And something that you should know about my approach to writing lately, especially for this story, is this: I 90% of the time add things to my plots for a very specific reason. I've become a fluff cutter. This story is an experiment with foreshadowing and eventually some archetypes, which I haven't really worked a whole lot with in the past, so that'll be interesting.**_

_**So, yep! Enjoy the chapter! If you have any questions or are curious about something, I'd like to hear feedback. I just ask that you are kind with your words of wisdom ^^**_

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"Now remember, this isn't about fun anymore," Kovu told his son and daughter. He flinched as he stepped on a dry clump of grass, which resembled all too well the rest of the increasingly arid Pride Lands. "We need to try our best to bring something home with us," he went on after inspecting his paw pad.

"Yes, Daddy."

"Alright."

Natin was with them, too, but he had gone off on his own to scout for the scattered, dwindling herds. _This dry season seems especially harsh, almost as if I had never left the Outlands_, Kovu thought bitterly to himself. It hadn't rained a drop since the night of Simba's passing, and it had now been half a moon since then. The juicy, green tendrils that had made the Pride Lands look lush were fried under the sizzling heat of the oppressive sun, changing everything to a dull golden brown. As it was, without much of a reason to stay, Timon and Pumbaa had moved back to their jungle home, and in their advancing age, it was expected that they wouldn't be returning too many more times. Kovu had taken the cubs out just before sunrise to take advantage of the cooler morning air, but it had been useless. Licking his dry lips, Kovu sat down and began coaching his cubs. They were still learning, and it made no sense to waste time while Natin was away. In these times, they had be all about efficiency, something that Kovu knew all too well from his youth.

Kovu had the cubs practice their sense of balance by making them stand in stalking positions on a fallen tree. Tanga was fairing well, but Asuma seemed to be having trouble.

"Asuma, what's the matter with you today?" Kovu said. He didn't mean for his tone to come out sharp, but with the way things had been with his son lately, he couldn't help it.

The marmalade-colored prince picked himself up off the dusty ground, rubbing the side of his head with a paw. His eyes were listless, his eyelids dark and heavy. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I'll keep trying."

Kovu looked on, frowning, while Asuma clambered to resume his place in front of Tanga on the dead tree. "Just try harder, son. You can do it."

Fear was one of the many feelings that Kovu felt toward his son. The reason he was being so short with him wasn't because of the situation in the dry Pride Lands. It was because of Asuma's dreams, which had only intensified since Kovu had first learned about them. He had thought at first that they were merely revivals of his son's traumatizing experience, but now he was almost certain that they could reveal secrets that Kovu had thought he had safely buried. On the night that he had found his son lost in the rain, Kovu had assured himself that Asuma had seen nothing. He had willingly accepted the words Kovu had told him about hiding a kill to save for later. But even though Asuma may have not known what he was really looking at in the dark, his imagination was somehow filling in the blanks little by little.

_It's just silly though... _Kovu thought to himself as yet again, Asuma fell from the dead tree and apologized for his slip. _He can't know... He believes that rogues killed Simba. He's still moping around about it because he still thinks it's his fault!_

"Kovu, I think the herds have gone even farther out." Natin's voice interrupted Kovu's thoughts. The lion's eyes shifted onto his nephew, who panted wearily from the heat. The carcass of a large mouse was at his paws. "I can't see anything more than dots on the horizon."

_It won't take more than a few days before the majority of the herds have left the Pride Lands behind,_ Kovu thought to himself, irritated. To Natin he nodded. This had been a waste of his energy, and just then his stomach complained. He had hoped to let the cubs do some hunting that day, but now it was out of the question.

"It's too hot to go that far," he said with disappointment. "We'll have to wait until the sun goes down so that the lionesses can find the herds and hunt."

"Oh, Daddy, can we go, too?" Tanga exclaimed when she overheard. "We've never been out with you for a night hunt! And how are we going to learn to be the best hunters if we've never experienced one, huh?"

Kovu smiled. "I'll have a talk with your mother to see what she thinks. You'll be up all night if you do go."

Beaming, Tanga said, "That's just fine with me. The sounds of scurrying beasts will be my lullaby."

Natin chuckled. "Tanga must be the most excited lioness ever to want to go hunting," he remarked.

"Hey, somehow I'll have to get good... like Nala, Vitani, and you, Daddy!"

Tiredly, Asuma made a sound. "You can just ask Mother about her, Dad," he said. "I'm much too tired, and I'll be useless to you. She's a much better huntress."

Kovu hated to see his son like this, but he spoke the truth. There was no more room for games when it came down to kill or go hungry. Asuma's concentration was low, and taking a trip both ways out to the nearest herds was expected to be exhausting even for the well-conditioned lionesses in the pride. He still had to ask though. "Are you sure, Asuma?"

Asuma nodded. He then yawned as if to make his point clearer.

The dark-furred lion and his young charges headed back to Pride Rock, each ones steps hastened by the promise of a much cooler den and a late-morning nap. Once they returned home, they were greeted first by Nala, who sat gazing over the grounds of the Pride Lands with a worried expression on her face.

"Is everything all right, Nala?" Kovu asked her. Asuma and Natin went into the den in a race to see who would get inside first while Tanga stayed behind with her father.

The light-furred lioness sighed, her teal eyes just as dull as they had been since Simba's passing. "The dry season seems to have come early, and it bothers me. Everything looks terrible. I haven't seen anything like this in years, not since..." The lioness trailed off at that, and Kovu didn't need any explanation to guess what she meant.

The thought of the drought being an omen connected to Kovu's rule had irked his mind since the first signs of heinous weather had surfaced. He had heard stories of the terrible drought that had plagued the land during Scar's time as king after he had killed his brother, Mufasa. It had driven the pride to near starvation, from what he knew, to the point of which they had begun debating whether or not to abandon Pride Rock for other territories. _Let's just hope the Kings aren't sending us a message_, Kovu thought to himself, but he was doubtful.

"We didn't have much luck finding food," Kovu reported once he sensed the lioness would not continue. "Natin said he saw some herds, but they're very far away, and he only caught a rodent. If we wait until dusk, I think we can try hunting then."

The lionesses nodded. "I think that would be best."

"Daddy's going to ask Mom if I can go, too," Tanga said cheerfully. "It'll be good practice for me."

Nala smiled upon her granddaughter. "Is that right? I've heard good things from your parents. You're going to be a fine huntress," she complimented.

"It's hard not to when you're learning from the best."

Kovu beamed back at his daughter, and leaned down to lick the top of her head. He was proud of her. "Now why don't you go and get some rest? Maybe it could help to persuade your mother into letting you go," he told her.

"Alright, Daddy."

When Kovu looked back at the former queen, Nala had her eyes narrowed, her ears perked. "Is Asuma not going?" she asked.

Kovu shrugged. "He doesn't show the same enthusiasm as his sister does," he said. "There's no concentration, and a night hunt like that is not the place for inexperience. Taking him would be just looking for trouble."

"Well, he can't gain experience without being there," Nala remarked, "but I see your concern. His dreams have been draining him, and I'm worried he might become ill. He's not sleeping, Kovu, or at least it doesn't seem like it."

"It's gotten worse, hasn't it?"

She nodded. "I've seen him toss and turn for half a night, and he mutters things in his sleep, too."

Kovu was careful to hide his interest. "I hadn't noticed," he said. "I knew he'd been having repeated nightmares, but... What kinds of things has he said?"

"They have to do with Simba's death and being lost, that's for certain. He keeps muttering something about wanting to help someone, and several times I've heard him mutter, 'Where are you taking him? Who are you?' I think that maybe he should speak with Tswane about them."

"Rafiki is not back yet?"

"Nobody's seen him in weeks, Kovu."

Red flags had been going up in Kovu's mind as he listened to what Nala had to report about his son and Rafiki. Of all the animals outside of the pride, Kovu held the old shaman with the most suspicion, and now Kovu feared more than ever that through Asuma's dreams a deeper, much grimmer meaning could be revealed to the pride. Kovu couldn't allow Tswane or anyone else to interpret Asuma's dreams. If enough details were exposed, the pride might start to find that things added up to something, exposing Simba's true end. After all, no "rogues" had made an appearance to challenge Kovu's position at the head of the pride since the tragedy, and Kovu had been with Simba the morning of the murder.

_No,_ Kovu stopped himself from panicking. _There's no way he can know everything. The most he saw was me dragging a carcass. If he knew otherwise, he would have already told them I was hiding Simba's body, and not a kill. Besides, they won't_ want_ to see the truth, remember?_

But then he began to wonder if the shamans would be able to make the details add up. The others were living safely in ignorant bliss just because they knew only the basics. Then he began to wonder if even the members of his pride would be able to name Kovu as the murderer of Simba if they knew enough blatant facts.

"I'll have a talk with him and see if I can help him," Kovu said to Nala. He shook his head. "I hurts me to see him like this..."

Nala nodded her approval. She then asked, "Do you want me to start rallying the lionesses for the hunt tonight, Kovu?"

"Yes, thank you, Nala. Just tell them it will start at dusk."

"Some of the lionesses, including Vitani and Kiara, left to find food not long after sunrise. They'll be tired if they catch anything, or otherwise, but I'm sure we can still come up with a decent hunting party," Nala relayed. "I'll speak with them soon."

Kovu nodded his appreciation with a little bow before he headed into the den, and instantly Kovu felt the blessed drop in temperature. Six or so lionesses were busy resting inside. A few lazily looked on as Tanga and Natin played a game of tag, while one lioness, the evidence of Natin's small kill at her paws, suckled her young cubs that, due to the drought, had been introduced into the pride as soon as they were able to be moved. The dark-furred king worried about the well-fare of the tiny cubs, especially since one was a female. Asuma's mate and future queen had yet to be chosen, and the pale, brown-colored cub seemed like the best candidate. But if the drought became much more severe, he thought that the likely hood of them surviving looked slim.

By himself, Asuma was resting with his chin on his paws. He blinked slowly, his heavy-lidded eyes following after his sister and cousin's excited movements as they tumbled and chased after each other. Kovu settled himself down next to his son.

"Dad," Asuma said after a moment, "I'm sorry if I'm a disappointment to you."

Kovu's shoulders sunk and he tapped his tail. "You could never disappoint me, Asuma. I'll be proud of you no matter what," he replied, moving closer to him.

Asuma arched an eyebrow. "But how can you be... I look terrible in comparison to Tanga and Natin."

"Because you are my son," Kovu said, "and I know what it's like to have someone disappointed in you."

The youngster was quiet for a moment, taking in Kovu's words. "How could anyone be disappointed in you?" Asuma rolled over and rested his paws on his father's foreleg. "You're brave, strong, smart, and a king."

"Just being king doesn't make me any of those things," Kovu said. He glanced up as Tanga leaped into the air. Natin did the same, grabbing his smaller cousin by her sides and rolling with her. Looking back down at his son, Kovu continued. "My position in life doesn't make me who I am," he said, "it's what I do.

"You're a smart boy. You're calm and reasonable. You think things through. You can't compare yourself to them, or you'll never learn to love yourself... as I do." Kovu went on. He gestured with a small nod to Tanga and Natin. "Natin is older than you, and Tanga has a lot of enthusiasm. You would have done well today if you hadn't been so tired. These dreams... Your grandmother says that they are getting worse?"

While Kovu had spoken, Asuma had begun to smile. Now, when prompted about his nightmares, the cub deflated. He nodded. "I can't sleep, Dad, without dreaming them. They're horrible. I wake up and I'm still so, so tired."

"Has anything changed?"

Again, his son nodded. "First, in my dreams there was only the storm and the roars of lions, like I told you. I couldn't see anyone, and I'd always fall down when I slipped in the mud," he said, swallowing. "Now, I'm running from one rogue, and chasing after another who is dragging something with them. I'm not sure what it means, but I think that I'm seeing the rogue who killed Grandfather. And something stranger... is that I'm not a cub, but somehow I know that I'm a full-grown lion like you. I don't know what that part means though. Maybe I'm supposed to find Simba's killer and make him pay for what he has done to us?" The young lion looked away, growling softly. "I don't see how anyone could be so cruel. Grandfather never hurt anyone."

It took everything in Kovu to not shiver at his son's words, having felt like he had been kicked in the abdomen. Asuma had no idea that the lion he spoke of was his own father. A chill of foreboding ran down Kovu's spine as he said, "Revenge is never the answer, Asuma. It only hurts more than the initial act did."

Asuma's blue eyes widened, his brow furrowed. "But... but there has to be justice, doesn't there? He got away with _murder_, didn't he? Murder is the worst."

"Yes, but it's better to forgive than to seek blood for blood. You get nowhere traveling in a circle of hate, Asuma."

"Who says it's better?"

"No one _really_ does in particular, but it's just better to not carry hate in your heart. Hate blackens the soul and clouds your vision. The only way to move on is... is to forgive. To give mercy." Kovu cringed inwardly at both the conversation he was even having with his son, and at the words he was saying. _These are the words she used to trick me into bringing Simba to her..._

Kovu fidgeted. "Besides, the rogue is probably miles from here by now. It's in the past, and your grandfather would want us all to move on with our lives."

Asuma looked down, frowning. "Yeah... yeah I guess that you're right." He sighed, then beamed at his father. "You're pretty wise, Dad. Now you could only help me get rid of these pesky dreams..."

Kovu chuckled. "They'll go away in their own time, I think."

"Y'know... when Mother comes back..." Asuma said, "...could you ask if I can go, too? At least to watch? I'll try not to get in the way, I promise."

Kovu smiled half-heartedly. "Are you sure, Asuma?"

Asuma's whole being seemed to lighten. He nodded. "Yes, I am. I'll even go right now to remind Tanga that we should take a nap if we need to help convince Mother." At this, both lions glanced over to Natin and Tanga, who were still wrestling without exhaustion. Kovu noticed that the youngest cubs in the pride were watching the tussle from their mother's side, their small eyes half-closed with sleep. Kovu smiled at this.

When his son had left his side to try and convince Tanga and Natin to take a nap, Kovu put his chin on his paws, closing his eyes as he sighed and grimaced slightly.

_ Is there any way that I can trust that his dreams will go away? To relieve him of his guilt, or otherwise? I can't live in danger of being found out for much longer... it'll kill me..._


	16. Disconnected and Out of Touch

"You goin' to be able to make it back home?" Natin asked Asuma as they followed the hunting party out in the night. Kovu and Nala were leading it, and five other lionesses made up the hunting party. All of the other lionesses, including Kiara and Vitani, had chose to remain back at the den where they could rest. After a long, hard day of hunting, they had managed to catch one of a few wandering gazelle, which had been separated from their herd. It had done little to supplement the hunger of the pride.

"I will, Natin," Asuma replied. "If I didn't think I could do it, then I would have stayed back in the warm den."

Walking between the two young lions was Tanga, who shivered. "It may be blazing hot during the day, but it sure is bloody cold out at night."

"You got that right," Natin agreed.

Asuma sighed. _Let's just hope that I _can_ make it home... _he thought. He then turned his eyes up to the stars. "Where do you think Simba's is?"

"Grandfather's what?"

"His star. He's the one who told us that all the Great Kings go up there when they die, remember, so they can watch over us and guide us."

Tanga frowned a little. "You don't really believe in that mambo-jumbo, do you, Brother? They're stories for little cubs, aren't they?"

Asuma shrugged. "I don't think they are."

"Well, why? It's all based on faith, isn't it?"

"Because... there's nothing wrong with faith," Natin said. He shrugged. "We have to have faith in something."

Tanga sighed. "I just find it hard to have faith in all that, I guess. I mean, they're just stories to me... and stars. I loved Grandfather, but I just thought of it as story time."

"Whatever you think, Tanga, we're still going to need a little faith if we're going to come out decent after this drought, twinkling and sparkly stars guiding us or not."

"I bet Simba's is one of the brightest then," Asuma said, his head tilted back. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"It can't be the brightest though. That star belongs to you guys' great-something-or-other, right?"

"Mohatu, I think... or was it Ahadi...?"

"Ahadi."

"...No, I'm pretty sure it was Mohatu."

"Ahadi."

"No, Mohatu."

"Ahadi."

"Mohatu."

"Ahadi!"

"Fine! We'll ask Nala. She'll know."

Natin smirked, and then raced ahead with Asuma chasing after. "Fine then."

After the two cousins were corrected, receiving the true answer that Mohatu was believed to have the brightest star in the night sky, they fell back behind their pride again. Kovu found himself looking up at the stars, too, and cringed inwardly at the thought of having so many kings looking down on him._ It's just silly though... just some tales for cubs and a little motto to live by... _But he still couldn't shake the feeling of angry spirits watching him from somewhere untouchable.

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Kovu felt the warm presence of Asuma at his side as they crouched down, watching the shadowy lionesses hunt. Tanga and Natin had joined them somewhere in the tall grass near the first herd they had found. Their position was miles away from Pride Rock, and Kovu wondered how close they were to the border, or if they had even over stepped it. He'd have to look out for rogues, or possibly even the lions who owned that territory if they had indeed left the Pride Lands.

"Dad, my dreams changed again."

Kovu looked over at his son, his ears lowering slightly. "They have?"

The young nodded his answer before describing his haunting dreams. "Now the rain has gone away, and it's really, really, hot. My paws burn, and my body's overheating. In the distance, I can hear arguing, but, but I don't know what they're shouting about and by the time I get close enough that I might find them, all I hear is roars coming from fighting lions, and all I can see is a big dust cloud. Then the rains come again and I'm back in my old dreams, chasing after the rogue that's dragging something."

"Do know what they mean yet?"

"No, Dad, I still don't."

Kovu laid there, his mouth pursed as he mulled over this new change in his son's dreams.

"Father?"

When Kovu finally spoke, he said, "Tomorrow I'll take you to Tswane. Maybe he can give you something to help you sleep more calmly."

"Alright, Dad."

Before Kovu spoke, the two had gone back to watching the hunt. Nobody had given chase yet. "Hey, I have an idea. For now, why don't we try and practice some hunting techniques?" he suggested with his toothy smile. "There's no point in sitting here while they have all the fun, right?"

Asuma frowned. "I don't know..."

Kovu stood up, sticking his paw under Asuma's belly to, with a grunt, put him on his paws as well. "C'mon, it'll be fun. You won't have to worry about Tanga or Natin, either."

Asuma found himself smiling back, a spark of enthusiasm igniting inside of him. "Okay then," he agreed.

With the younger lion following, Kovu brought Asuma to a tall rise of shadowy boulders. They looked upwards to the top, which was highlighted by the pleasant glow of the moon. It was dotted by several small, scraggly bushes.

"We're going to climb this first together to make sure it's safe," Kovu said, "And then when we come back down, I want you to race to the top as fast as you can. You can build up your stamina this way."

Asuma nodded, and the two lions began to climb with Kovu leading the way. The pair came directly back down, and the way down was much trickier than the ascent.

"Do you think that Tswane can tell me what my dreams mean?" Asuma asked. His eyes were down in front of him so that his paws wouldn't slip like they already had several times. Father and son were nearly to the base of the rocky hill. "They have to mean something, or else they wouldn't be repeating like this. They're strange, and I'd like to know what they mean."

"Maybe," Kovu said, his tone doubtful. "Tswane's young though, so he might not be able to tell you."

"I think I'll still ask though," Asuma said cheerfully. "Never know until you try, right, Dad?"

Kovu chuckled. "Of course, Asuma."

They had now reached the bottom, and Asuma was panting, his paws slightly raw from the rocks. He turned to his father.

"Up you go, Asuma," Kovu said, smiling. "Watch your step."

"I will."

Kovu watched as the lighter-furred young lion scrambled over the rocks as he made his way back to the top. His claws dug at the ground anxiously. "Watch out there, Asuma. There's a crevice," he called up once. "You could get your paw stuck."

"Okay, Dad!"

_Wow, look at it all..._ Asuma thought to himself once he had made it to the top. He had slipped only once, but had quickly recovered. He thought he had made good time. Over his shoulder he called down to his father. "Dad, where is the hunting party. I can't see them. It must be too dark."

Kovu's voice could be heard from below. "The hunting party is to your left, Asuma."

Asuma squinted. _Is that them over there?_ he asked himself, but he wasn't sure. There looked to be several large herds in the area.

"Now, I want you to carefully climb down the other side. I want to see how well you do on your own."

The young lion glanced over to where Kovu wanted him to descend, a look of uncertainly making his smile turn down and his ears drop a little. _But I can do it... I won't give up so easily. I'm just as good as Tanga and Natin._

"I'll meet you on the other side, Asuma."

Asuma took a deep breath and sighed. "Okay... you can do this. Just take it one step at a time. No... worries." He coached himself downwards, keeping his eyes on his footing the entire time. When he thought he was going to fast several times, he stopped himself. "This isn't a race. Just take your time," he muttered. "The last thing you need is to be hurt."

Sounds of birds were far off in the distance, as were the soft calls of prey animals. A light breeze blew through the coarse, dark grass when Asuma's paws hit the last big rock at the bottom. He looked around, a prideful smile on his muzzle which soon slipped away. The scene before him was devoid of life except for a passing mouse.

"Dad?" Asuma craned his neck to look one way and then another. "Dad," he called. He jumped up onto the next highest rock to gain a better vantage, but wasn't any use. _He said he was going to meet me here, didn't he? Well... maybe he just isn't here yet,_ Asuma thought to himself, sitting down to wait. His tail tapped, and his eyes followed a passing bug that buzzed near his ear before being shooed off by his flicking ear. Long moments passed, and still nobody came for him.

"Dad!"

888888

He stalked through the dark grass, which seemed to be holding him back. His head was down, shoulders squared, and he moved as quickly as he could while making as little sound as possible. Every so often, he would catch himself glancing over his shoulder with paranoia on his way back to the hunting party. He was almost there.

_It's for the good of the pride. They're better off this way, and there is more than one prince, right? A stronger one, at that... no, no, what am I thinking?_

Kovu stopped abruptly in his tracks, his face growing hot and his belly aching as if an enemy was disemboweling him with their claws. He gasped once, struggling desperately to keep his composure. Once he had his emotions better in check, he kept moving forward... away from Asuma.

_He's big enough... maybe he can find a way to survive on his own. I just have to hope he never finds his way back to the Pride Lands, but I'd rather live with that fear than have the blood of my blood on my paws... not that I won't already..._

Again, Kovu stopped. His whole body was shuddering, and he felt like vomiting. What was he doing? Was he _really_ going to just abandon his son like that? To leave him there, to more than likely die? It was a sentence the young lion would surely not survive.

"Kovu, what are you doing over there?" called a voice from somewhere in the dark. It was one of the huntresses who had found him. "We've brought down two zebras, and we're eating now. We'll need every mouth to bring what we can home, too, when we're done."

Kovu's body shook, and he looked down at the ground. "Yes," he muttered. "Of course."

The lioness cocked her head to the side. "Is Asuma with you?"

"You mean he's not back here yet?"

"...No," the lioness replied. "Where is he?"

_You can't leave him out there to die!_

Kovu began, ears lowering, "We got separated, and I thought he might have found his way back by following our trail. I had hoped I'd meet him here. I couldn't find his scent or see him in the dark, and he didn't reply to my calls."

The lioness gasped. "Asuma! Do you think he's hurt?"

"Go get Nala and the others. I can take you to the place where I last saw him," Kovu told the lioness, who nodded and ran off to fetch the hunting party.

The guilt-stricken king knew his cover up had been sloppy, and that his story would be far from believable to anyone who had the chance to look at it close enough, but he didn't care. He wanted to find Asuma again. He _needed_ to find Asuma again.

_I can't take this anymore..._ Kovu thought to himself, his eyes clenched shut._ Vitani was right. I have to fess up to what I have done and hope they forgive me for my mistakes. No longer can I hide this when my desire to hide my true self from them drives me to destroy my own son._

Kovu pulled in a lungful of air before shouting, "Asuma!"


	17. Deja' Vu

_**He said**__ this was the direction the hunting party was, didn't he?_

The young prince stopped and looked around. Nothing looked right to him, and his back crawled with the chill of dark familiarity to the situation running up and down his spine like a hoard of itchy fleas. He felt his whole body lower slowly into the short grass. "Oh, no... no, no, no, no..." he sputtered as he vigorously shook his head. His eyes flashed about in the darkness as he struggled to find one thing that was familiar to him. "Why did I think I could find them? Why didn't I just stay where I was told to stay?" _Why wasn't Dad there to meet me?_

Overwhelmed, Asuma tucked his head between his paws for comfort and tried everything to stop himself from bawling like he had seen the young cubs from the den do whenever they were away from their mother for too long. Could he feel even more like such an idiot? _So much for being so smart... how is it possible to be lost _again_?_

After waiting for a while longer, Asuma had climbed back up to the top of the rocky hill to get his bearings. To his left, like Kovu had told him, he'd been sure he had seen the signs of his family. He didn't know how he could've lost his father, but he thought the best decision would be to go back to the hunting party and meet up with his father there. Too much time for his liking had passed since he had last seen his father. Instead, he had kept on walking, but had found nobody. He had now decided to turn around and go back to the rocky hill in case his father tried looking there for him. He planned to not move from that spot for as long as possible once he found it again. _Where did Dad go?_

"Why am I lost again!" Asuma cried out angrily, his muzzle tilted to the stars. "Why aren't you guiding me! Help me, Great Kings! I just want to go home!" He sniffed. "I gotta get back home..."

Asuma laid there for a while longer, beginning to grow dangerously sleepy, before he remembered that he couldn't just stay there, practically out in the open. He gathered every bit of strength that he had to carry on and pushed his shuddering body into a hunched but standing position. Immediately, he crouched back down after looking around.

_Oh-no..._ Fear ran through his body like a cold stab, his ears pinned back against his head, when he saw the six or so shadowy figures that were slowly ambling his way. He had heard them sniffing around, but hadn't thought much of it. _I knew I heard them... So it wasn't just me starting to dream after all,_ Asuma thought as he wondered how his luck could be so terrible. He had seen wild dogs only once, but from very far away and with his pride nearby. His father had told him that they were a nuisance for an adult lion, but could be dangerous to a cub or when in high numbers. Asuma was somewhere between an adult and a cub, and he wondered fretfully if he'd be able to get away from them, or if they would pass him by if he stayed low long enough.

_Of course they're going to find you! They're probably already on the trail of your scent_...

_You're going to have to stand and fight this one out if they attack. You can't let them stumble onto you either._

He didn't give himself time to stay there and think for much longer. He jumped to his paws, and tore off, hoping the noise from the grass would distract the wild dogs for a moment to give him a head start before they gave chase. He headed for a clearing he knew was close. The grass he was in wasn't that tall, but all too often there were clumps of taller grass that would blind him.

"Hey, it's a lion!" Asuma heard a wild dog yell.

"Maybe it's the one who killed Payto!"

"Coward!"

"Let's get 'em!"

Asuma squeaked in terror. _They think I'm a killer?_ He was panting hard, already running faster than he ever had in his short life, which he knew it would be cut even shorter if they caught him and ganged up on him. He thought he could drive off a few, but there were twice that chasing after him, and they were out for revenge. _They're out for blood!_

"Help! Anyone, heeeeelllllllpp!" Asuma shouted. He wanted to find the rocky hill again, but he knew that he was running aimlessly. "Help! Hhheeellllp!"

"Get 'em!"

With a yelp of surprise, Asuma found himself tumbling to the ground, stirring up a small cloud of dirt. He hissed and swatted at the muzzle of the wild dog that had sunk its teeth into his haunch. His eyes were wide, and he twisted around to bite the face of the dog. It howled and let him go, but then another one grabbed his left foreleg. His free paw came down hard on its ear. This did nothing the faze the angry beast, and instead made him shake his head from side to side with a furious growl. Yowling, Asuma swatted at the dog again, his teeth bared.

"Hold him down," one wild dog snarled. "He's going to pay for what he's done."

Asuma looked up and could only see the dark outlines of the dogs. "No, please! I'm not the killer!"

Several of the dogs barked with laughter.

"Even if you're not the killer, one day you're going to be," the dog replied callously. "We can punish you now before you're big."

"Like I am!"

If Asuma had blinked, he would have missed the whole thing, and as it was, he felt like he did. He and the dogs were deafened by the tremendous roar of a lion. Bodies were thrown every which way as the newcomer chased the blood-thirsty dogs away. One fell to the ground, dead. It's throat had been slashed open by the lion's quick bite.

"A rogue," Asuma gasped while he looked on in horror as the lion dealt with the dogs. His wide eyes refused to look away from the blood on his muzzle, which made his vicious snarl stand out even more in the darkness. His nostrils filled with the scent of rank fear and blood from the dogs. Slowly at first, before he realized what he was doing, Asuma started to back away from the scene. He couldn't be certain of what the lion's motives were, and after seeing what he was capable of, Asuma didn't want to stick around any longer to discover them at his own expense. Tripping over himself in an effort to get away as fast as possible, the young lion turned tail and ran.

"Hey, come back here!"

Visions of the rogue who had killed Simba scattered any coherent thought. Asuma picked up his pace. _I won't get caught I won't get caught I won't get caugh—_

"Oommph!"

"Where do you think you're running off to?" the rogue asked Asuma. The big lion had a paw planted on his shoulder, holding him down so he couldn't escape. The young lion writhed about, his paws clawing at the dirt and air.

"You're bleeding."

Clenching his eyes shut, Asuma said through his teeth, "If you're going to kill me, do it fast."

A sound came from the rogue that made Asuma take a peek at him. _Is he laughing at me? Is he _chuckling_?_ Soon, it was obvious that the rogue was doing just that even though he kept a paw on Asuma.

"Why would I want to kill you if I just saved you?"

"I thought rogues weren't above playing sick games," Asuma scoffed. "Why else would you save me?"

"My reason can't be because I couldn't stand by and watch you be killed by those sorry excuses for predators?" the rogue retorted. He then took his paw off of Asuma, and the young lion quickly scrambled to his paws and crouched down, readying himself to run at any sign of a threat. "And besides," the stranger went on, "I'm the killer they're after, not you. But that stupid mongrel deserved what he got after he disturbed my nap with his pitiful baying. They're all like that."

Rogues were no good. Why should this one be any different? Asuma wasn't sure what to think about the lion who had saved him. _But how can I trust him? He might even be the very lion who killed Grandfather. They may have been wild dogs, but they were still lives._

"Good thing I was around," the rogue said when Asuma didn't reply, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly as he looked down upon him. "You like to live dangerously, hmm?"

Asuma only frowned.

The lion stared back at him, obviously growing awkward by the way he glanced around briefly. "You feel alright?" he asked. "You shouldn't be out here by yourself, you know."

_Lie! Lie! _"I'm not out here by myself. I'm out here by my own choosing," Asuma blurted. Mentally, he smacked himself. It was a very poor lie.

"Oh, then I'll safely know that your screams will go unheard..." the rogue said, a sly smile alighting on his muzzle, which was still a grisly mess of drying blood.

Asuma gasped, his eyes widening. He shrank away from the rogue.

"Hahahaha!" the rogue laughed, tossing his head back. By the way his paws kept lifting off the ground, Asuma wondered if he was trying to stop himself from falling to the ground in a fit of cruel humor, further adding to the young lion's annoyance and humiliation. Asuma glared at the rogue as he continued to laugh, his face growing hot.

"It's not funny..." Asuma muttered, irritated. _If I was bigger, I'd smack that smile off your face._ Then, unwanted tears began to pool in his eyes, and he cast his gaze down onto his paws. "It isn't at all..."

The rogue continued to laugh, having now fallen to the ground. Asuma couldn't take it anymore.

"Hey, thanks for your help," Asuma seethed as he turned away and started walking. His tail dragged limply behind him, and the bites to his shoulder and hind leg made him stiff. He limped a little. Even if he had survived the wild dog attack, he knew he'd succumb to the elements and starvation in a matter of days. _I might as well lie down right here and let the buzzards have me when they come looking for those dead dogs,_ he thought grimly. _Where _was_ Dad when he told me to wait?_

"Look." Rapid paw steps announced the coming of the rogue from behind. The lion, who was bigger than his father, stood in Asuma's path. "That was rotten of me," he said. "Ever since I left my pride, I haven't been around many lions. You just should have seen the look on your face..." The lion paused to smile, but it was quickly wiped away. "The look on your face now tells me that something is very wrong. What's the matter? Those bites hurting you?"

"No, I'm fine," Asuma said through his teeth. "What do you care... you're just a rogue."

"Ouch," the lion said, feigning hurt. "Can't imagine your mother taught you those manners. And what's the matter with rogues?"

Asuma shrugged. _I shouldn't even be talking to you. _He wanted to tell the lion to buzz off, but the lion was right. He was being rude, and after all, the lion had saved him and for that he was still breathing. Finally, he replied, "I've just heard that you're no good... And someone close to me was killed by one not that long ago..."

A look of sympathy passed over the lion's face, dulling his pale green eyes. "I'm sorry if that's what you've been told, and I'm sorry for your loss, kid. There are bad lions out there, but not all of us are that way. At least I don't consider myself to be." The lion shifted his weight. "Was this someone by chance... your mother?"

Asuma frowned. "No, it wasn't her. It... it was my grandfather who was killed," he admitted.

"Then where is your mother? You have one, don't you?"

He swallowed nervously. _Can I trust him?_ Asuma was wary about rogue, even if his actions seemed kind and earnest. He then remembered some of the things Nala told him about rogues before Simba had been killed. She had said that all rogues were just lions without a pride. Some were made cruel and tough by their nomadic way of life, but others could be kind and decent. She had said that one had saved her as a cub, too. All they needed was a place to start over and call their own, but were forced to roam until they found it. Asuma had to hope that this lion was that kind of a rogue.

"Yes," he eventually said, "I have one... I just don't know where she is."

"Ah," the lion said with a warm smile. "Well, where was the last place you saw her?"

"At home. I was with my father and the rest of my pride when I got... lost..."

"You think you've wandered far?" The lion stood up and looked around.

"I-I don't know... I'm so l-lost..." Asuma's voice cracked at the end. He pursed his mouth.

The young lion's emotions couldn't be helped, and he broke down.

"Hey, it's alright. I'll try my best to get you home," the lion spoke. "You can be tough until then."

"No, I'm not tough!" Asuma cried. "I can't wrestle, I can't hunt, I'm sobbing like a cub, and I've been hopelessly lost twice now. I'm such a disappointment! What kind of a prince am I? Who's going to want me as king someday, who?"

The lion was alarmed by this sudden outburst. He watched Asuma helplessly as angry tears ran ceaselessly down his dirty cheeks, the young lion's eyes narrowed and his ears lowered.

"Don't be hard on yourself, kid," he said meekly. He wasn't sure what to tell the cub when he simply and lightly bumped his shoulder with his paw.

"I'm not... it's just the t-truth..."

Unbidden, the filthy young lion turned to press his face into his brown mane for comfort, catching him by surprise. But, he soon relaxed.

The least the lion could do was allow the cub that much.

XXXXXX

A/N: Sorry for not updating for a while, been busy and I needed a little break from this story so that I could get a fresh look at it in my preparation for the second part, which will be coming up in a few chapters. I could have waited to upload this chapter, but I figured you guys would want something to read in the mean time. I've started work on this again, and once I get some stuff sorted out, I should be able to bolt it out. Also, I'd like to hear what you think of the story as a whole up until this point :)


	18. Reprisal

**"Father! Nala!"**

Every ear and set of eyes turned, all going silent at the sound of the faint and distant voice. Several lionesses whispered to each other.

Kovu hissed for silence. "Quiet, everyone," he snapped as he stood up. They had been searching endlessly until the sun had risen in a wash of pale gray and champagne, and had paused to rest and regroup, sharing information that wasn't new to anyone. The dark-maned lion's body stood at attention, his body tensed as he tried to pinpoint the source of his son's voice, a sound he thought he'd never again hear with much regret. His whiskers quivered as he took a step in the direction that most likely the source.

And then he heard Asuma's voice again.

"Dad!"

_ Once Asuma is safe, you have to tell them, _Kovu thought as he began to trot in the direction of the young lion's voice. _That way, if Nala disapproves, I can just leave from here. I won't have to hurt Kiara with my presence. I can pull Nala aside and tell her privately. She'll know to keep it from the cubs._

"Dad!"

When he laid eyes on Asuma, Kovu's muzzle broke into a smile, hot tears stinging his eyes. His cautious pace turned into a full sprint as he went to reunite with his son.

But before he reached Asuma, he stopped short, his eyes narrowed on a lion who appeared to be accompanying his son. He snarled, startled, and so did the lionesses that were following him. Kovu glared at the lion and flinched, reminded somehow of Simba in nearly every feature. He had to blink to make sure it wasn't the king back from the dead. Perhaps it had all been some horrid dream, that his mind had been playing a terrible trick on him the entire time?

_But it wasn't. This lion is different... yet... no, it's just the guilt in my mind. He's only a rogue. His fur and eyes aren't even the same color. It's just my mind..._

"Who are you?" one lioness demanded.

Asuma went to his father's side, but the stranger stopped a few lengths away, frowning with concern at the small group of glaring lions. "Dad, he's with me," Asuma said. "He's alright."

"I just wanted to see him home safe," the rogue explained. He lowered his body slightly in a show of submission as the rest of of the hunting party surrounded Kovu and the prince. He'd avoid trouble unless trouble found him. "He's been through a lot."

"He saved me from a pack of wild dogs!" exclaimed Asuma, his face alight with the joy of seeing his family again. "I'd be dead without him."

"But he's a rogue..."

"Yeah, how can that be?"

"What does he want!"

"I want nothing," the rogue spoke up. "All I wanted was to bring him home safe."

Kovu couldn't help but scoff. The hair along his spine stood on end. "No rogue is that selfless," he said.

Taking the blow, the rogue took a step back, his features setting in a mixture of irritation and shame.

It was Nala then who spoke through the confused voices of the lionesses. "You did a good thing by saving Asuma," she said. The others began to quiet at the sound of her calm voice. "Surely a proper thank you is in order," Nala continued.

The look she pointedly gave Kovu didn't go unnoticed by him, and he rolled his eyes and turned his head.

Nala went on. "After all, you saved the life of our prince."

"Yes, there's no way we could repay such an act of kindness," Kovu added, his tone dull. He wanted the rogue to go away quickly and be forgotten even quicker, but with his pride watching he had no choice if they insisted on being tolerant of him. It was his duty as king, after all, and the rogue _had_ saved the life of Asuma. "We are indebted to you."

"I don't think there's a need to repay me," the rogue said. "It would've been cruel of me to have done anything but."

"Of course," Kovu replied.

Nala returned a smile to the rogue. "But, surely there must be something..."

The rogue then pulled a face, and Kovu narrowed his eyes as the lion spoke. "Well... would... would you know the way to Pride Rock? There's lions there who I need to talk with. I've been told that it's urgent."

_ Why would he need to talk to us? _Kovu thought, grinding his teeth in irritation as Nala gave their reply. _Why the urgency?_

"We don't normally hunt this far out," the queen mother said, "but we are the lions you're looking for, and maybe more specifically Kovu here." With that, Nala gave a little nod in the dark-furred lion's direction.

A flicker of uncertainty passed over the rogue's face when he laid eyes on Kovu, but he didn't look away. "Oh. Suppose since he is the... king? ...I should talk to him... But, I'm more specifically looking for a lioness named Nala."

"That would be me, er... what is your name?"

Before the lion could answer for himself, Asuma spoke up. "He told me his name is Chaka." The young lion beamed. "Isn't that right, rogue?" This time, the term "rogue" was used with some affection.

_ What?_ Kovu's heart skipped a beat. _Impossible... It's just a co-_

"Chaka?" Nala repeated. Her eyes grew wide and the fur on the back of her neck stood on end as she stared at the stranger. Her eyes narrowed with uncertainty as she looked from his paws to his face. "You're name is-"

"Chaka, yes," the lion said. "For a time it was Koofrey before I learned my given name again."

"Who told you that your name was Chaka? You may not realize what that name means to me."

The lion shrugged. "Some crazy old monkey told me this was my true name when was wandering one night, and told me to seek out the Pridelanders at Pride Rock. He said they were my family."

_ Rafiki!_

Nala drew closer, and the lion took one step back before he caught himself. "Have you come home?" she asked quietly. "If your name _is_ Chaka, then surely..."

_ No! This can't be! The cub died even if she couldn't admit it! This is _not_ their son! Zira killed him in cold-blooded revenge and lied to Simba's face! That's why he's dead!_

He saw the joy in Nala's face and the ache in the green eyes of Chaka as he began to nod. "I've returned home to my family," he said quietly.

Kovu's world crashed down around him. Simba's son! Why he hadn't he bothered to show up earlier? _Why, why now? How long ago did Rafiki tell him? Why... How did Rafiki know? _Zira wouldn't have been able to tempt him with the confession that Simba had wanted most, the very confession that had cost the murdered king his life. Did Rafiki know about the truth about Simba, and had he sought out his son to expose and turn Kovu out of the Pride Lands? Someplace in the back of Kovu's mind, he knew it was over-thinking the situation. Rafiki had just happened to find Chaka and, somehow knowing who he was, had thought to bring him home to his family, right? But a much stronger feeling inside Kovu's mind told him that Rafiki knew Kovu was guilty. It was the only explanation to his long disappearance, he thought. What were the chances that the old mandrill would leave _right_ after Simba's death and not return for nearly a month?

Kovu stood there, numb, as he watched Nala with the true heir to the throne. Soon, the other members of the pride had surrounded them. Only Natin, Tanga, and Asuma stayed with Kovu.

"I don't know what's wrong with him, why are you asking me? Daddy? Daddy?"

Feeling very disillusioned, Kovu forced himself to look down at Tanga and respond to her. He cleared his throat. "Yes, Tanga?"

"What's going on, Daddy? Who's Chaka?"

"He's..." he answered. _Steady..._ "He's Simba and Nala's son."

"I thought that Mom was their only cub," Asuma said.

"So did I..."

"What happened to him? He told me about being in another pride. Did he run away?"

"I'm not sure Asuma." Kovu didn't want to be there. He briefly considered taking off at a dead run, no explanation needed, no hurtful confession given. He couldn't bring himself to do so however though he knew he really should. "Natin, show me where the kills were brought down," he said. "Chaka or not, the pride is hungry and they will need to be fed. Let's just hope the kills haven't been dragged off already by scavengers."

"Yes, Kovu."

He followed after Natin and Tanga, leaving the lionesses and Chaka behind to their little reunion. Millions of more thoughts ran through his head. What would this mean for him now that the true heir had return?

He noticed too late that Asuma was walking beside him, his face expectant in a way. "Father?"

"Yes, Asuma?"

"What happened to you? Where were you?"

"I," Kovu began, searching for his response as he spoke, "thought I told you to meet me back with the others, didn't I?" _Stupidstupidstupidstupid..._

"Oh," Asuma said, "no, you didn't... or at least I don't think you did. Did you really? Because I don't-"

_Why don't you just run? Why why why?_ Kovu shook his head adamantly. "No, it doesn't matter now. I'm very sorry that this happened to you, really I am. You don't know how much it means to me that you back here with us." He sighed, a crinkle growing in his nose. "I haven't been the best father to you lately, son, and from now on I'm promising you that I'm going to help you. I'll make sure it never happens again."

"No, father, _I'll_ be making sure it never does," Asuma replied, his tone resolute and his face turned away from Kovu. Kovu moved closer, his tongue tied for words to comfort his son, but none came in time. Soon, the young lion was off like a shot, tagging behind his sister and cousin who were some distance ahead of the lonely king.

_Is the lying worth it anymore?_ Kovu thought to himself.

Immediately, before he even thought of doing anything so rash as telling his trying, dark secret, he reminded himself of what could happen if he were to do so. All he wanted was to not hurt them, to protect them from what he had so horribly done, and if he told them he'd be doing just that. And he couldn't leave them without their king, especially with Chaka newly home, "hero" and returning prince or not. Another slip in his resolve like this again would cost him much more.

Having Chaka around wasn't going to make it much easier.

* * *

Mid-morning sunlight hit Kiara in the eyes as she watched the small figures of her pridemates grow bigger in the distance. When they were close enough, she called the attention of the lionesses who had remained behind with her. She hadn't slept much, her flustered mind over-wired with concerns for her cubs, but it had done her good to at least have some time to relax and recuperate. The hunting party had been successful, she could see that much, and she expected to be bombarded with any stories her cubs would want to share with her. A part of her wished she had been there for their first night hunt, to share in that experience with them, but for the sake of the pride she'd have to wait until times weren't so tough to enjoy something like that. _They're growing up so fast..._ she thought with a smile on her muzzle. Some of the lionesses were already heading to greet the hunting party, and now she would join them, her mouth already beginning to salivate.

But the lionesses hadn't made it that far. They stood between the party and Pride Rock whispering curiously to each other. Kiara was about to ask what was going on when she noticed that there was a stranger with the hunting party.

"We sent them out to hunt and they brought us back another mouth to feed? And a rogue at that?"

Kiara's eyes did not leave the stranger's face as she spoke. "My mother wouldn't bring him home unless he was important, Vitani," she said gently. "And it's not like they came back empty-pawed."

Vitani sniffed, but said nothing as they waited for the returning lions to meet them.

Her grin was so wide that Kiara thought she'd never seen her mother so happy. "Kiara, I have wonderful news!" The pale-furred lioness stopped in front of her daughter and turned to beckon the stranger forward with her tail. Her blue-green eyes were bright and dazzling, like they must have been when she was a mischievous cub.

"Who is this, Mom?"

The way the stranger smiled... the cut of his jaw... the look in his eye... To her, the stranger looked all too familiar, but she couldn't figure out where she might have seen him before. She caught a glimpse of Kovu out of the corner of her eye and noticed the stormy expression on his face. _Who is this lion?_

"Kiara, do you remember the name 'Chaka'?" Nala asked.

Kiara nodded slowly, "Yes." Her eyes flicking between the faces of her mother and the stranger, "He was my brother before I was born." Her voice lowered a bit, ever conscious that her cubs were nearby. "You said Zira killed him."

"Well she didn't," Kovu spoke up, his tone surprisingly bitter.

Every eye switched to the king. Nobody spoke as the discomfort of the moment only increased until Kovu cleared his throat nervously and asked for help carrying what meat they had been able to bring with them up to the den. Many of the lionesses looked as if they wanted to stay behind to see what would happen, but in the end they decided it best to leave Nala, Kiara, and the stranger alone. When Tanga and Asuma, who she noticed was an utter mess, went by, they both beamed up at her as they received a lick from their grinning mother. She told them she was proud of them before they continued on to join the others.

"Hope my presence here won't be any trouble," Chaka said, that earnest smile on his face reminding Kiara so much of her father.

"I think once you get to know him, he'll be like a newborn cub," Kiara replied with a half-smile, guessing that Kovu was the problem.

"Full of hot air, is he?"

"Yes, something like that." She still was confused about why this lion was here now, and why Kovu had acted the way he did. She had a small guess about Kovu, but she'd have to talk to him later about Chaka's presence. After all, Chaka had been Simba's original heir, and for a while now he had been the only adult male in the pride. It just made her uncomfortable and embarrassed that Kovu had been so rude.

"Kiara, something happened tonight while we were hunting that you need to know first," Nala said.

"Oh?" _Is this about Asuma and the marks on his legs?_

Nala nodded, her expression worrying Kiara further. "While we were hunting, Kovu was away teaching Asuma some tricks when they became separated."

"He was lost again?" Kiara gasped.

"Yes, but if not for Chaka we might have never found him," Nala explained. She smiled warmly at the large lion.

"He... he was being attacked by wild dogs. I would not have dared let that happen to any lion so young," Chaka spoke up. He seemed almost apologetic. "He was shaken up, but he should be fine now."

Kiara dipped her head, her eyes misty. "I am so grateful that you were there to save my son. Something like that is so brave, and-"

Chaka shook his head. "It was nothing really... I'd been chasing after those dogs for months, and they were going to take their petty frustration out on him when I was to blame. That doesn't make me much of a hero."

"You still saved my son, Chaka," Kiara pointed out softly.

The corners of Chaka's mouth twitched. "That I did."

Nala nuzzled Chaka. "Why don't we go into the den? It is much cooler there," the lionesses said.

The voices inside the den died down when the shadows of Chaka and the two lionesses fell on the excited lions in the cave. Those who were not eating what they could get were standing together in a tight group at the back of the den, though Kovu was off by himself with his back turned to them all. While the lionesses and the cubs converged on Chaka, Kiara went over to her mate.

It surprised her when, under her tongue, he flinched and growled. Kiara quirked a brow. "You alright?" she asked.

Kovu's mouth remained in the shape of a tilted crescent moon. "Fine," he muttered, eyeing her at first. His gaze then drifted to something behind her, and Kiara thought it safe to assume that he was staring at her brother.

She laid down next to him. "Hey, I heard about Asuma. Is he really okay?" she said in hopes of distracting him a little.

As he lowered his head back onto his paws, not meeting her eyes, he replied, "He's shaken but he'll live, Kiara. That's all that matters."

Kiara sighed. "Kovu..."

She was about to put a paw out to comfort her mate when a voice called her name. She looked up and found Vitani.

"Chaka wants to talk about the past, Zira more specifically. Everyone wants to hear why he was gone," Vitani said. "We've asked him to wait until I could ask you what you thought about the cubs hearing the truth about the past. We have to tell them one day. Why not now."

Kiara tilted her head to the side in thought. "I suppose this would be as good a time as ever," she agreed, a crinkle forming in her brow. This moment had been a long time coming, and she had hoped to put it off for a little longer, but then she reminded herself again that her cubs weren't so little anymore. She then turned to Kovu. "What do you think? Do you think they're ready?"

Kovu shrugged indifferently, his expression still surly. "I see no point in hiding the truth anymore." He stood up then and began walking away, but not over to their pridemates.

"Kovu, wait, where are you going?" Kiara called after him. "They'll appreciate it more if you're there, too. Why are you leaving?"

"I need air," Kovu muttered, not looking back. "I feel like I'm being suffocated in here."

Kiara wanted nothing more than to follow Kovu, but she knew well that he needed his space to think and that they were waiting for her. Nala and Chaka gave her and Vitani sympathetic smiles when they joined the group. Worry was creeping into Chaka's face, but when one lioness ordered him to start his story, it lightened instantly.

"I think Kiara has something to say first," he said. He gestured for her to take the floor with a nod.

"Alright..." Kiara took a deep breath and turned to Asuma, Tanga, and Natin. Their miniature faces were openly curious.

"Mother, what is it?" Tanga asked impatiently. She fidgeted.

Kiara began. "There is something you three need to know before Chaka tells his story. We were waiting to tell you until you were older," she said.

"What _is_ it?"

"Be patient and listen," Kiara told her daughter with a smile. "This is important... Long before you were born, our pride was not how it is as you see it now, unified and strong. We were two parts divided, and one part lived here while the other lived across the river outside of the Pride Lands. We called the placed they lived the Outlands."

"Why were they divided, Mother?"

Some of the lionesses in the pride giggled while a few others groaned. By now, many were lying down as they enjoyed the story, watching the faces of the three eldest cubs.

"Because the lioness who had..." Kiara paused briefly as she searched for the right words. She glanced at Vitani, who gave her the nod to continue. "... done something to upset your grandfather and had decided to live out her exile there with the lionesses in the pride who believed, like her, that your grandfather was wrong. This lioness was named Zira."

"Zira was my mother," Vitani spoke up. "That would make her your grandmother."

Now all the cubs were fidgeting, but none were smiling.

"Wha... what was the thing she did that made Simba exile her?" Natin asked.

"Our son, Chaka, was very young at that time. This was before Kiara was born," Nala said, picking up the story where she knew the details the best. "We knew she was jealous. She believed that Simba had killed her mate after he had dishonestly taken the throne from Simba when he was just a cub. Her mate was Mufasa's brother, Scar, and he had destroyed the land. Times were much tougher than they are now."

"But Simba wouldn't kill anyone," Asuma said, brows arched. He frowned. "And why did the pride let Scar get away with it? Didn't you know?"

"We thought it was an accident. Mufasa was killed by Scar in a staged stampede that was meant to kill both king and prince," Nala continued. "Scar, when he saw that Simba had remained living, guilted him into believing that it was his fault that Mufasa was dead.

"Simba ran away, far away from the Pride Lands, and did not return home until I found him during my search for help against Scar. Nobody knew that he was alive, and in his place Scar had taken over. Scar had been next in line, and had known that he would never be king unless Simba was dead. He had brought a horde of hyenas to rule with him. Simba was living a carefree life with Timon and Pumbaa, who had adopted him and raised him. If I, with the help of Rafiki, hadn't reminded him of what I'm sure he had been thinking deeply about, I doubt he would have wanted to return home. He had been very upset for years about the death of his father."

"What about that Zira lioness?" Tanga piped. She had draped herself over Natin's back while Asuma had gone to lay next to Kiara, who was was cleaning his wounds. She hoped they wouldn't scar.

"Well," Nala started, "in the end, Scar's hyenas turned on him, and Simba reclaimed his throne. He realized that a few of the lionesses were still loyal to Scar for one reason or another. In fact, Scar had made Zira his queen in the place of Sarabi, Simba's mother. They had one son, Nuka. Zira also had two newborn cubs with her, but she swore that they were not Scar's."

Natin glanced at his mother before speaking. "Why didn't he kill them? That's what I would have done after the mess Scar made and the thorn-in-the-paw Zira probably was."

"Natin, don't say things like that."

The young lion ducked his head in acknowledgement of his mother when she snapped at him. "Sorry," he muttered.

As Nala went on to explain why her father hadn't been able to bring himself to be a cub killer, Kiara looked over at Chaka, who seemed to be clinging to each word their mother said. As she went on, something changed in his expression, and it grew more thoughtful and distant.

"...When we discovered that Chaka was missing, we justified that it had been the babysitter who had had a paw in the matter. We questioned Zira relentlessly, but she stuck to the story that our son had just wandered off on her watch. We didn't believe her. We never thought that Chaka would be foolish enough to leave the safety of the pride by himself." Nala paused then, her face growing depressed. "Though we suspected that Zira wasn't above killing the heir as revenge in the name of Scar, I suppose we were wrong to accuse her like we did. It's not as if we found a body."

"Foolishness is something I'm not above. I certainly wasn't then," Chaka suddenly spoke up. He had all ears and all eyes in the den on him, but he didn't look up, his eyes still distant.

"Are your memories coming back to you?" Nala asked, hope in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Kiara asked Chaka.

"I was clueless until now, my memories gone," Chaka began. His eyes then refocused and he looked at Nala. "Nuka, I remember now, and I were playing together, wrestling maybe. Still a little hazy. We had wandered far away from his mother when she was resting so we wouldn't disturb her. I... I must have knocked my head on a hard object because I woke up with a headache and I had no clue about who I was or how I had gotten there."

"You mean the war was only because _you_ decided to run off to play?" Vitani sneered. "Nuka died in the war."

The hairs along Chaka's spine raised slightly. "It's not as if Nuka defended your mother, either," he retorted quietly.

Vitani looked away. Kiara was surprised when the lioness didn't say anything to defend her brother. _Did Nuka even say anything to his mother?_ Then another thought moved into Kiara's mind and she wondered if it were even possible: in lacking to mention that Nuka had been with Chaka, had Zira been protecting her son from Simba? And why had Nuka left Chaka alone? _The only lions who could fully answer those questions are dead now,_ she thought with regret.

"What war?" Tanga asked.

Now it was clearly Kiara's turn to speak again. She wished that Kovu hadn't left the cave, but she knew she was on her own. "By the time I was born," she said, "there was a clear line between Simba and Zira's prides. They hated each other for years and your father and I were aware of this as we grew up. When we were cubs, we had met, but our parents made sure we knew that we were forbidden to see each other again. It wasn't until we were much older that we would meet again."

Kiara paused. She knew what she was about to say was going to change the perception her cubs had for Kovu dramatically. She spoke carefully and slowly.

"Zira sent Kovu back to the Pride Lands to avenge Scar's death. The plan was that after he rescued me from a fire that they set, he would win the trust of Simba so that Kovu would live freely in our pride in exchange for saving my life. She trained him from the time that he a very young cub to take the throne from Simba by means of force."

"You mean she wanted him to kill Simba?" Asuma interrupted quietly.

Kiara made sure to keep her emotions in check. She herself still couldn't wrap her mind around the horrid things that Zira had expected out of Kovu. "Yes, she did" she said. "But when he saw that it was the wrong thing to do, he changed his mind. I showed him that there was more to life than fighting, and he accepted this. There were times when the misplaced interests of our parents got in the way, but we overcame that and brought the prides back together. When we interrupted the final battle and told them what we had discovered about standing together and living as one in peace, my father accepted it, but Zira did not. She fought it to the bitter end and she died because of it."

"Wow..." Tanga breathed. "You two stopped a whole battle without fighting? That's amazing!"

"Three," Kiara added with a smile. With a jerk of her head, she inquired to Vitani. "She saw what we were trying to tell them and convinced the Outsiders that they didn't have to fight anymore. Our prides were one in the same."

A few of the lionesses began to whisper to each other, smiles playing on the corners of their mouths. Kiara looked down just in time to see Tanga as she yawned quickly and shook her head to bring back some life to her tired eyes. Of the three young lions, Asuma looked the most exhausted despite the thoughtful look on his face.

"Do you have any more tales to tell, Chaka?" Nala asked her son then. "You, and I'm sure some others are looking forward to a long nap. I know I am."

The big lion shrugged, his mouth turned up in a half-smile. "Can't think of any," he replied lightly.

Several of the lionesses who were listening chuckled at this.

It was to Kiara's surprise when her children came to her without being told. They followed her to their normal sleeping spot, and although Kiara wasn't tired, she planned to lie there with them until they fell asleep. Then she would find a bite to eat- there were a few pieces of meat at the back of the cave yet- and to see if Kovu had gone far from Pride Rock. He hadn't returned since, and she couldn't see him nearby.

"Mind if I sleep over here? My mother has something to do and she's not tired."

Kiara smiled at the dark-furred cub. "Of course, Natin," she said. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Vitani's shadow. The wiry lioness was leaving the cave, and Kiara guessed that she might be going to look for Kovu. Part of Kiara wished she wouldn't, as she wanted to talk to him herself first, but she also knew that he'd have a greater chance of listening to his sister with the way he had been acting as of late. _There's nothing wrong with talking later._

As usual, Asuma sought comfort in the warmth of his mother's body. "I'm glad I'm home. I never thought I'd see this place again... or you," he said quietly to her. His eyes were almost closed as if he were struggling to keep awake and alert. He let out a small moan. "I still can't believe I got myself lost again."

Kiara began grooming the small, brown mane tuft on his head. "Your home now, my son," she whispered to him. "You couldn't be any safer, right here."

Asuma seemed to shrug. "Father even told me the right way, and I messed up."

For a moment, Kiara didn't know what to say. She then thought of something, and smiled fondly down at her son. "Hey, did I ever tell you that I used to be the worst huntress in the pride?" she said.

He opened his eyes a little wider. "No," he mumbled. "You could have fooled me."

"Exactly, Asuma. Everyone has a flaw, but if you try hard enough you can overcome it," she told him. "I'm sure someone in this pride can teach you a trick or two that will help keep you aware of where you are even if you've never been there."

"Father?"

"Yes, him, but I'm sure some of the lionesses could help you, too. We all have our talents, and what's the point of having a pride if we can't help each other out a little from time to time?" Kiara told him. Just then, she looked up and saw that her mother and Chaka were standing by themselves to the side, having a hushed conversation. Her heart went out to them when she made out the stricken expression on Chaka's face and the same expression her mother had worn on her face ever since the death of the king. _She must be telling him the details about Father..._ she guessed.

When she turned her attention back to Asuma, she found that he had slipped into sleep. His breathing was even and sweet for once, so she guessed his nightmares hadn't begun yet, his fatigue overcoming them at least for now. A length or two away were Tanga and Natin, who were resting with their outstretched paws touching by a hair's breadth. An easy smile formed across her cheeks at the sight of this. _It's good to see that they get along so well,_ she thought.

The thought of getting up from that spot was almost unbearable, and she didn't think that a short rest could hurt anything.

Chin on her paws, she closed her eyes.

* * *

**Hope this chapter was worth the wait! I've been working off and on the chapters a little more recently, so I hope that I can post them more often than I have been. In the mean time, thanks for the favorites on my story and the author alerts! Means someone is willing to put up with my laziness :)**


	19. The Defining Line

_**"...If this **__turns out to be a trick, Kovu... you will not escape punishment..."_

_"Yes... I understand. I understand perfectly, Simba..."_

_"...Now look at what you have done, my son... how will you get out of _this_ one? You can't be forgiven for this..."_

_"What _I_ have done?... This is _your_ doing! I was so stupid to trust you..!"_

_"...You'll never be able to escape who you _really_ are, Kovu..."_

_"...Oh, Kovu... Mother and the whole pride are expecting so much from you tonight. In the morning, when you've come out of this cave, they want to see some change in you... He's dead, Kovu! That's not complicated at all..."_

_"...Kovu, explain to me why the lionesses came to me today saying that you changed the hunting schedule? They were very upset that you did that."_

_"Oh... I'm sorry if it..."_

_"Upset me, too? Kovu, _what_ were you thinking?"_

_"Well... I just thought the old one deserved an update. I thought it would be smarter to hunt more at dusk or at sunrise when the sun would distract our prey. That's how we did it when we were in the Outlands. It's more efficient. Just ask Vitani and the others, Simba."_

_"Update or not, Kovu, you don't go behind my back."_

_"Be fair, Simba, I didn't mean-"_

_"Remember, you, _I'm_ still the king. You come to me if you have a problem with the way it's run around here. Do you understand?"_

_"...Yes, Simba."_

His heart thundered in his chest, which heaved as he sucked in gulps of dusty air, and the feeling of lightheadedness slowly dissipated as he connected up again with reality. His eyes opened, the wicked feeling of his hazy, jumbled nightmare lingered in his belly and in the back of his throat as he tried focusing on his surroundings.

His very dry, very dismal surroundings.

_ What's gone wrong here? Why is the land suffering so much? Is it... is it really me?_ Kovu shook his head. No, that was impossible. He couldn't stand to compare the deteriorated, scabby land to the reign of Scar, and during that time there also were hoards of hyenas ravaging the land and consuming its resources much faster than they could be replenished. As far as Kovu knew, there were no hyenas... _But that doesn't explain the lack of rain, and it hasn't rained a drop since... no, none of this is connected! This is just foolish. It's just a harsher than normal drought that came a little earlier this year. It's all a co-_

"Kovu?"

Kiara stood next him, the cool light of the sun making her look pretty despite the gleam in her eyes being less cheerful than usual. Kovu had also begun to notice that she was looking gaunt these days. But then again, so was everyone else in their pride. She laid down next to him, and like always, she rested one paw over his. Ever since his troubles has begun, he longed to feel close to her like he was before It had happened. He chalked his removal of himself from her up to be the disappointment he had in himself, and the burden of lies he was carrying that had grown so much harder and more dangerous to keep since Chaka's arrival. He felt like he was festering from within, a walking, sorry excuse for a living creature.

Before he had mistakenly fallen asleep, he had been trying to come up with ways to make Chaka go away. He hadn't come up with anything, but he had decided very early that he just wanted him to leave. He didn't want to have to kill again, especially not Simba's son, if he could help it.

"Yes, Kiara?" Kovu asked, forcing a smile. "Is anything the matter?"

She smiled back and licked his cheek. "Does anything have to be the matter? All I wanted was to be here with you. I've been looking for you this morning. You left the den early again before I could talk to you, and I couldn't find you at all yesterday until you came back to the den to fall asleep. You looked exhausted."

His smiled widened, but the feelings inside him lowered his sour mood even more. "I needed some time alone, is all," he said. "You know how I am... can't stay cooped up for long."

Kiara's giggle sounded hallow to Kovu's ears. "That's an understatement," she said. "But while you were hiding, I went to visit Tswane."

"What for?"

She raised a brow. "I wanted to ask him if he could do something for Asuma's cuts. I want them to heal properly."

Kovu forced himself to correct his smile. "No battle scars for our boy, eh?"

Shaking her head with a wry smile on her face, Kiara replied, "It's probably for the best, Kovu. We don't need to him to worry about that. He has enough on his mind as it is. Have you tried talking to him lately? About my father and his dreams? I can hardly get a word out of him. He's so stubborn sometimes."

"I haven't tried lately, but his guilt remains the same I suspect. I can't make anything out about his dreams, either."

"You think his nightmares really mean something? I know they're repeating, but they're just dreams."

Kovu realized he had slipped. "Oh, I don't know. I just find it odd that they keep repeating. But you're probably right. Dreams can't _really_ mean anything. It probably only has to do with his guilt," he said in order to recover. "He's no Rafiki."

"Well," Kiara said, "at least Tswane and I found something to help his nightmares."

Kovu's fur felt hot. "You talked to Tswane about that, too?"

"He has an herb that will help Asuma sleep deeply, and one side effect is dreamless sleep." Kiara grinned more widely. "Isn't that great? He deserves the rest, our poor son. It'll help him so much! He says the herbs will be ready for us to pick up tomorrow."

Kovu's mixture of feelings rendered him without much of a response besides a nod. _At least I don't have to worry about Asuma giving me away then if this works and the supply doesn't run out, but now Tswane's aware that Asuma's having dreams. What if he asks to hear about them? Kiara might get curious enough to ask if they really do mean anything!_

"You're not _too_ upset about my brother being here, are you?" Kiara asked suddenly said, or seemed so to Kovu. He couldn't quite tell. Her voice had started to die on his ears until now. He jerked his head, and looked at her. He hadn't meant to tune her out. She wasn't looking at him anymore at least, and instead her gaze was transfixed onto some point on the land.

"You don't have to hide it from me, you know, not that you've tried too hard. I wanted to talk to you beforen about this, but when you stormed out of the cave I thought you'd like some time to yourself to think. It's still surreal to me, too, Kovu. I mean... wow, I have a brother and he's alive."

"Surreal... yes..."

"Though... You haven't been yourself for a very long time, Kovu... even before Chaka returned," Kiara went on. "I wouldn't be a very good mate or queen to you if I didn't keep trying to talk to you about it. Vitani already has, I'm sure."

Kovu swallowed. _Why did I think I could hide from her. She's certainly no idiot. Did Vitani, or forbid, anyone else, speak to her?_ He went on guard, carefully gaging Kiara's mood and finding that he'd never be absolutely sure if she knew his secret until she spoke. She was much too calm he thought to be holding onto something of that magnitude without clawing his eyes out. _Calm down... she can't know and does not know. Even she couldn't remain this calm is she did know the truth._

"Are you doing alright, Kovu?" she asked him. "You've been so distant since my father died. Are you worried? You always are changing the subject to something else when I ask if you're okay. You _can_ tell me anything, you know that."

It took every muscle, tendon, and fiber in Kovu to not be tempted by Kiara's soft smile, which tore into him deeper than he thought possible. _I wish I could tell you everything, but the one thing I'm dying to tell you... it would hurt you most of all_, he thought with disgust. He thought he had run out of chances to confess since Chaka had come around, but this was the most blatant one yet.

He looked away while he spoke, shrugging. "It's just hard, I suppose... he's not here anymore and I'm on my own. I keep asking myself 'what would he do?' Our food situation isn't getting any better, either."

He couldn't lose her. He brought forth the promise to himself that he would remain true to his vow. He'd have to take this to the grave with him... _Even if it's the thing that puts me down into the dirt._

"First off," Kiara said, a brow raised, "you are not my father, and you never will be. You're Kovu, and a wonderful, strong lion who is my mate, which also means that you are not on your own, Kovu. I am here for you." With this, she nuzzled his mane, leaving her head there as she continued. "The pride has survived during hard times. We'll get through this together, too. Nothing can compare to what we've been through in the past. We're strong, and we'll be able to see it to the end."

"But I don't know if we're strong _enough_," Kovu replied sullenly. "When I lived in the Outlands, life was difficult to say the least. There were stretches of days where I would be hungry, but at least we knew we could get food if we worked hard enough for it. We'd have to steal it from other territories, but we'd get by."

Kovu paused. His frown deepened. "We can't keep this pace up for much longer, Kiara. Everyone is tired. Everyone is hungry. We're all thirsty, and the watering hole gets more pitiful each day. There is one thought on everyone's mind: who will it be? Who's going to be the first to go?"

"Kovu, won't you calm down, please?" Kiara exclaimed, her eyes wide. "We're just talk-"

"There's no sense in being positive when there's hardly anything to be positive about!"

"Kovu!"

He knew he was overreacting, his concentration compromised by his frayed nerves. He stood up and began to walk away without a word, but Kiara followed.

"If you feel this way, then why don't you do something more about it?" When her mate didn't stop or say anything, she moved into his path and struck one of her paws up onto his chest. "What do you think we should do, Kovu?"

Kovu shook his head in frustration. "Being king is so much harder than I thought it would be..." he muttered, looking away.

"I'm not asking you as my king," Kiara told him. "I'm asking you as my mate and the father of my hungry cubs. If you think we need to change our tactics, you need to use that brain of yours to come up with a plan, which I know you can do."

But Kovu didn't reply. _So much for being Scar's chosen one..._

Kiara gave a wry smile. She knew the gravity of the words she was about to say, he thought. "May-be... maybe we could take a trip to scout out how far the herds have gone. Just you and me."

"You and me?" Kovu frowned.

"Only for a few days."

"What about the pride?"

Her brow furrowed. "Well, aren't Chaka and my mother capable of looking after them? Your sister could help, too, I'm sure. They won't be helpless."

Kovu balked at the idea of leaving _Chaka_ in charge. _And I told Zira I'd rather she kill me than become a pretender to the throne. Now I can't even make the decision to leave my place as king long enough to find food for my pride and for the hungry cubs in it._

"Now I know that you and my brother have your differences..."

_ That's an understatement... I haven't even said a word to him since he got here._

"But you need to put that aside. This is about survival, isn't it?" Kiara continued.

_ Why is she always right?_ He pulled a face. _Why does she always have to know the right and just thing to do?_

"Survival, yes," he said. But he was still searching for his decision, which was vastly more difficult than he knew it should be. _It's not that big of a deal..._

"Think of the pride, Kovu, _your_ pride. We have to be brave for them," Kiara pressed on.

"What are we going to do if we find a food source?" Kovu then asked. "It could be so far away that it won't matter, Kiara."

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "I know this is hard, but we have no choice but to work with what we've been dealt. So what if we find food elsewhere? Can't we move the pride there until the drought is over? They have legs. We can always come home at the first signs that the herds are returning." Kiara paused to snicker. "Between you and my mother, you act like it's the end of the world. This drought is hardly much worse than normal."

_Scar would have threatened her with death for considering such things... but then again, I am not Scar._ Kovu met her eyes, his body relaxing slightly. So what if Chaka stayed here? Once Kovu returned, it wasn't like his position wasn't going to be in question. Or at least he wouldn't allow himself to worry about it unless he wished to drive himself mad.

"Do _you_ think that you can leave the Pride Lands? The land isn't as friendly out there beyond our borders," Kovu warned her.

She nodded, her gaze firm with resolution to the proposed mission. "I _was_ the one who thought of the idea, wasn't I? You know how stubborn I can be when I want to make something work."

He couldn't help but smile now, even if it was just a little bit. "Yes, Kiara, I know best of all, don't I? No wonder our cubs are the way they are."

The honey-furred lioness' easy grin returned to her muzzle at the sight of his. "Yep, I know you do, Kovu."

* * *

From the mouth of the den, Tanga watchedas the lone figure paced back and forth, his brown mane swishing and shrouding his face with each quick change of direction. The look of his silhouette against the dark sky registered as her grandfather, and she had to keep reminding herself that he was gone. _That's Chaka, not Simba._

The den, filled with the sounds of sleeping lions, was calm for the most part. In the evening, she had woken to get a drink, and had noticed Chaka walking back and forth from the outstretched arm of Pride Rock to a spot midway to the den. He obviously hadn't seen her yet, and he jumped when he first became aware of her presence, nearly running into her when he turned to face the den again and she was standing there to greet him.

"Oh, it's just you," he muttered, but not unkindly. Sighing, he whirled around again. He crinkle in his brow suggested he was concentrating on a problem with much conviction. His eyes were darting but distant, too. He had paced four more rounds before Tanga spoke up.

"What are you doing?" Tanga asked quietly. _Don't want to wake anyone._

Chaka jumped again as if he had forgotten she was there. "I was just thinking about... oh never mind..."

"Well, what is it, Chaka?" she pressed him. "It's okay."

Chaka's face when he paced back to her was stoic. "Wouldn't want to worry you about nothing. Really, it is nothing. I'm just being foolish," he replied with another heavy exhale.

It took a lot to make Tanga awkward, though since he had been in the pride, she hadn't had a whole lot of interaction with him until now. She perked up, smirking. "I can keep a secret," she remarked.

_Was that a ghost of a smile, or is the dark playing tricks on me?_

"It's nothing, really," Chaka continued to insist.

"You seem upset enough to me. It's the middle of the night. Everyone else is sleeping."

Chaka made a sound that didn't quite sound like irritation but was close to it. "Well... consider it misplaced anxiety then if you must."

"You're worried about something. What?" She then quickly added, "Please, if you don't mind. I'd like to help."

For a while, she wasn't sure if he had forgotten about her again, but once he came and sat down next to her, it was clear that she had won his interest over.

"Weeelllll...?"

"Silly, really... I just find it odd that I'm back here. Here... where at some point in my life I called this home. I hardly remember it," Chaka began quietly.

"Nothing is really silly," Tanga replied softly. "You've been gone a long time."

Chaka pulled a face. "I'm also worried that I'm not as... sad, let's say, as I should be about my father being dead and all. Just don't remember him much, and it's a shame that I don't feel like I think I should. Neutral is the best that I can describe it."

"You're upset that you're not upset _enough?_"

"Yes."

Tanga could never imagine having lived without her grandfather. Though he'd been in her life for a short time, she was grateful to have known him. "But it's not your fault," she pointed out. When Chaka looked down at her with a little confusion showing in his brows, she offered him a smile. "Feel the way you want to feel. I don't think that your wrong."

"The heart wants what the heart wants, I suppose."

"It's not your fault he was killed by a rogue."

"Yes, well, I have regrets about not being around to protect him. I should have been there to help." A pause. "The life of a rogue isn't much fun," Chaka muttered, and Tanga thought that it was half to himself the way he looked away, his eyes drifting over the expanse of the withered Pride Lands. Distantly, Tanga's ears picked up the cry of a bird, and her nose prickled from being a little too dry.

Tanga felt self-conscious about what she had said. "You were a rogue, too, weren't you."

"Yes," Chaka replied shortly.

The question itched on Tanga's tongue to be asked, though this time the silence made her a bit uncomfortable. Curious, she finally mustered up the courage. "What... what was that like?"

Chaka smiled a bit. "Dangerous and lonely, Tanga. I don't suggest it."

"Do you like being home now? Even if it bothers you?"

It surprised her when Chaka was quiet for a while, and Tanga wondered if her uncle would continue speaking to her, or just tell her to shut her trap like everyone else seemed to do. Finally, he said, "I'm not sure yet. It's a mixed blessing."

"You're home with your family now."

"They sure don't feel like family, more like strangers sometimes, and I still feel like an intruder. The pride I had was barely a family and they kept their distance from me."

Again, Tanga tried to wrap her mind around this. Family was everything to her. Her heart went out to Chaka. _This whole time I've only been makign his feel worse instead of better... _She opened her mouth to invite more conversation, but Chaka started this time without prompting.

"But I do believe that the past shouldn't matter now."

Baffled, it was Tanga's turn to return Chaka's growing smile with a wide-eyed look. He then lifted his face to the stars, and so did Tanga. One saw The Great Kings of the past, while the other just saw twinkling dots amidst a grand blackness that seemed to engulf anything up there.

"When I was young, I remember someone telling me that being a real lion meant being brave, and that bravery meant sometimes doing things that you don't want to do, no matter how frightening or aggravating they may be. You can't run from who you really are, and you can't just hide and wait for all of it to go away. Doesn't work like that. You have to learn to forgive those who ask for it and accept what has been done. Bad things happen, but in order for them to go away, you have to do something about it. Do you understand that, Tanga?"

She nodded. "Yes, Chaka," she replied softly. She looked thoughtful for a moment before she whispered tiredly, "Are you able to forgive Nuka and Zira? They can't beg forgiveness. They're dead."

"Yes, I do," Chaka replied, his tone firm. "In accepting what happened to me, I do. I'd kill myself with worry and hate if I didn't. What happened was just unfortunate, but it did happen... you can't change the past as much as you try. Everyone needs to move on."

Tanga was beaming. "Looks like we helped each other a little," she remarked. She then quirked an eyebrow. "Do you remember who said that to you?"

Chaka thought for a moment. "My father said that to me."

Nodding, Tanga said, "He was very wise and very kind. You... you remind me a lot of him."

He grinned easily in appreciation. "Why are you awake? It's the middle of the night, you know."

Tanga giggled and shrugged. "I wanted a drink, but found you."

"Shouldn't be out alone."

"I can take care of myself, and what they don't know won't hurt them. It's not the first time, though Natin sometimes goes with me."

Chaka stood, and like always she was amazed at his size. "C'mon, can't have you roaming the night like some wild animal. I'm thirsty myself and the water source is far enough away as it is."

Tanga followed eagerly after her uncle, hoping deeply that the drought would lift soon and that her father's kind temperament would return. She had noticed that he hadn't been as warmly accepting of Chaka as the others were, and she suspected that the drought wasn't helping much either. Her parents had mentioned to the pride that they would leave on a scouting trip in a few days, too. She hoped they would return quickly and safely to them with a solution. Nala and Chaka were going to be in charge in the mean time.

_Things aren't going to completely return to normal once the drought is gone, but... I hope Chaka doesn't have to leave after what he's been through. That would be terrible.

* * *

_

**Another update for you guys! I finally got the motivation up and the inspiration to put the final touches on this chapter. I'm still having trouble with the middle/end however, but I'll keep working on it. Mostly it's deciding what's necessary and what order to put events in. Anyhow, thanks for keeping up :)**


	20. When Liars Are Revealed

"_When I was young, I remember someone telling me that being a real lion meant being brave, and that bravery meant sometimes doing things that you don't want to do, no matter how frightening or aggravating they may be. You can't run from who you really are, and you can't just hide and wait for all of it to go away. Doesn't work like that. You have to learn to forgive those who ask for it and accept what has been done. Bad things happen, but in order for them to go away, you have to do something about it. Do you understand that, Tanga?"_

_ She nodded. "Yes, Chaka," she replied softly. She looked thoughtful for a moment before she whispered tiredly, "Are you able to forgive Nuka and Zira? They can't beg forgiveness. They're dead."_

_ "Yes, I do," Chaka replied, his tone firm. "In accepting what happened to me, I do. I'd kill myself with worry and hate if I didn't. What happened was just unfortunate, but it did happen... you can't change the past as much as you try. Everyone needs to move on."_

_ Tanga was beaming. "Looks like we helped each other a little," she remarked. She then quirked an eyebrow. "Do you remember who said that to you?"_

_ Chaka thought for a moment. "My father said that to me."_

_ Nodding, Tanga said, "He was very wise and very kind. You... you remind me a lot of him."_

_ He grinned easily in appreciation. "Why are you awake? It's the middle of the night, you know."_

_ Tanga giggled and shrugged. "I wanted a drink, but found you."_

_ "Shouldn't be out alone."_

_ "I can take care of myself, and what they don't know won't hurt them. It's not the first time, though Natin sometimes goes with me."_

_ Chaka stood, and like always she was amazed at his size. "C'mon, can't have you roaming the night like some wild animal. I'm thirsty myself and the water source is far enough away as it is."_

_ Tanga followed eagerly after her uncle, hoping deeply that the drought would lift soon and that her father's kind temperament would return. She had noticed that he hadn't been as warmly accepting of Chaka as the others were, and she suspected that the drought wasn't helping much either. Her parents had mentioned to the pride that they would leave on a scouting trip in a few days, too. She hoped they would return quickly and safely to them with a solution. Nala and Chaka were going to be in charge in the mean time._

_ Things aren't going to completely return to normal once the drought is gone, but... I hope Chaka doesn't have to leave after what he's been through. That would be terrible._

* * *

**"I cannot help** you, I'm sorry."

"Kovu, I'm sure you can do more than, 'I'm sorry'," Kiara said gently, her face reflecting the disapproval she felt mingled with the desire to help the small clan of cheetahs who had approached them. They were thin and their fur was unkempt, though they hardly looked pathetic. From the youngest one up, they had her mate fixed in a death glare, and she feared that they were desperate enough to attack without cause.

"_You_ are our king aren't you?" one spat.

Another one muttered to her near companion in a voice just hardly loud enough for Kiara to make out the words, "What do you expect?"

Kovu growled quietly when he heard this, too, and Kiara could easily guess what the cheetah had really meant, but was proud of Kovu when he did not rise to the snub. He remained silent, however, only glaring back at the lithe creatures.

"Look, times are tough right now. We're all feeling it," Kiara spoke up. She carefully monitored her voice and added a sincere smile to her face. "What do you think we can do to help you? We should work togeth-"

One cheetah sniffed in disdain. "I know one thing you can do," she snapped. "Stop bringing more lions into your pride. It's big enough as it is."

"Do you think we live in the lap of luxury?" Kovu said, his tone low, callous even to Kiara's ears. "_We're_ not even sure if we're hunting prey in the Pride Lands anymore, that's how far we go to find food!"

Inwardly Kiara groaned. _I wish they all would mind their tempers... or their manners for that matter..._

"Now, unless you have a plan other than insulting me, I don't care what you do. Leave if you must. Is this how you treat your king?"

"We don't have to be told more than once." The eldest looking cheetah then turned to her companions and gestured with a nod to depart. Several looked over their shoulders as they went, shooting the king and queen looks heated with hatered that sickened Kiara. She watched them leave and was saddened that the brief meeting had turned out terribly.

"You'd think that respect was a foreign concept to them," Kovu said. "Who do they think they are?"

"Hungry, just like the rest of us," Kiara remarked quietly with a sigh.

"Then they shouldn't have come to me, and acting like they did wasn't going to get them anywhere if I even knew what to do. I have my own family to think of."

_ The cheetahs went about asking for help the wrong way, but Kovu still managed the matter poorly_. She thought about telling him this, but she didn't think he'd accept criticism too kindly while he was in his current state, and she wanted to put the matter quickly behind her. The cheetahs were already gone. "C'mon, Tswane is expecting us. He told me he would have the herbs ready this morning," she reminded him.

Kovu huffed, but followed Kiara as she led the way to the old tree. After a while of walking in silence, he spoke up.

"Hey... uh, would you want to try practicing a few things I've been taught? If we're going to look for food together, I'd feel more comfortable knowing that you could defend and take care of yourself."

"Oh, sure," Kiara replied. The thought of spending time one-on-one with Kovu was pleasing even if she'd be learning skills that Zira taught Kovu in her original plot to kill her father. When she thought of this, she shivered inwardly, but reminded herself that the territories outside of the Pride Lands were a lot tougher and it was quite possible that they could be attacked by rival prides. "We can have some fun like the old days," she added with a smirk. "I doubt _all_ the rhino have left."

But she only got a small, bitter chuckle out of him. "If only it were the 'old days'," he said wistfully.

* * *

Asuma lifted his head from his paws and flared his nostrils to take in the dry breeze that ruffled the small, light copper-colored tuft of fur on his head. "Hmmm..." The particular hues in the slightly fluffy gray clouds had caught his eyes. "Do you think it could rain?"

"Could," Natin said. It would have sounded like a scoff if it weren't for the thick tone of laziness. "But it's a matter of _will_ it rain or not. Don't get your hopes up, Asuma. It's depressing."

Asuma rolled his eyes and frowned.

Both cubs were resting at the mouth of the cave. With little to do, most of the pride was spending their time either resting inside the cool cave or trying to sun themselves at various places around the behemoth of Pride Rock. There were plans for a hunt later that night after news came that a herd of zebra had been seen roaming just inside the Pride Lands, and Asuma was debating if he should come along again. He didn't much like the idea, but he was determined to hide any cowardice that he had. With a sigh, he rolled onto his back.

"Seen Tanga anywhere, by the way?"

Asuma rocked his shoulders and closed his eyes. "If I had to guess, she could be off with Chaka... wherever he is."

"He keeps to himself most of the time," Natin said, almost in agreement. "Your sister's the only one besides Nala and Kiara that he talks to, and you. Your dad hates him."

"Soften the blow, why don't you..."

"What? It's true, right?"

Though he hadn't been there for more than four nights, Chaka had only slept in the cave the first night he had returned to the pride. He had either slept just outside or was no where to be found. It unsettled Asuma that his father was showing so much resentment towards the lion, who not only was the brother of his mother, but the lion who had saved his life. _Now is not the time for petty differences,_ he thought to himself.

He was on the verge of sleep, his body already beginning to tense with anxiety in preparation for the onset of his nightmares, when he heard the shuffle of footsteps just by his head. He cracked an eyelid and at first thought the two hairy feet belonged to Tswane, but after a surge of activity in the cave, he sat up. _Rafiki__'s__ returned? What's that in his paws?_

Natin kicked him on his way into the den. "Asuma, somethin's up. C'mon."

Many of the lionesses gasped, their eyes irrepressibly drawn to the thing that Rafiki was cradling in his palms as the old, hunched mandrill shuffled into the center of the den. Nala was there, and she went to stand up.

"No, lie down." Rafiki's craggy voice echoed off the rock walls. She did was told and he placed his small burden in the ring Nala's forelegs made.

"Oh, no..." Asuma breathed when he realized that Rafiki had been carrying a bird that didn't much resembled the pride's majordomo.

"What's this about?" Nala asked, her brows arched and her face etched with worry. She gently nosed the fragile-looking bird. Zazu's eyes were scarcely open, his feathers dull.

"He's very weak, but he insisted I bring him heah," Rafiki began to explain, his voice quiet. "It was a hope of mine dat I could nurse him back to health, but I'm afraid dat I have failed."

"Well, what happened to him?" one of the lionesses asked.

Everyone in the cave could see that Zazu was speaking, but only Nala could hear him faintly when she moved her ear close enough to his crooked beak. The bird hadn't taken a beating half as bad since Mufasa's death, and that had been when he was still young. Nala lifted her head, a deep frown on her muzzle that spread its pain throughout the rest of her face. A puzzled fury entered her sapphire eyes.

"I'm afraid that I might have heard him right," she said to the old mandrill. "Why is he saying that Kovu killed Simba?"

"What?" his cousin gasped along with the rest of the pride. Asuma's body heated up when he heard these words. He didn't know whether or not to approach the bird or not, lest his grandmother decide to send him and Natin away from the cave. Natin must have been thinking the same thing, as he motioned with a nod to move towards the back of the cave where the older lions would hopefully not notice them. The pair peered through their elders' legs as Rafiki confirmed Zazu's chilling words as truth.

"He told me dat he was dare the day Simba was murdered. He told me dat Kovu tricked Simba into seeing his mother, who had survived until den. He told me it was an ambush. He told me dat he was going for help when Kovu struck him down."

"I knew he was acting weird!" another lioness explained. "So it wasn't my imagination playing tricks on me!"

"Traitor!"

"That idiot! He's been hiding this from us for all this time?"

"Who's been hiding what?"

"Oh, no..." Natin groaned beside him, crouching down further. "Doubt he'll take this well."

"Chaka, Rafiki and Zazu tell us that Kovu killed your father," a lioness reported quickly, her voice coated thickly with disdain. A common rise of growls could be heard, too. Many continued to mutter the words 'traitor', and 'murderer'.

"What?" Chaka exclaimed. When he had first entered the cave, his expression had been a mixture of caution and distrust, but it was now replaced with shock, and then quickly pushed away by anger. "Thought he was killed by rogues?"

"My son, come here," Nala called Chaka to her side. She had remained the most calm while surrounded by her furious pridemates who were only growing more irritated by the heartbeat.

As Chaka moved forward, a couple of shadows caught Asuma's eye. It was Tanga and Vitani, who were now lingering at the mouth of the den. Without pausing to think why he was doing so, Asuma stood up and quickly made over to his sister, Natin just behind him.

"What going on?" Tanga asked, her young face wide-eyed and curious. "We heard yelling."

"We can't stay here," Asuma said to his sister though he was looking up at Vitani. "It's nothing really, though."

"Wha- Tell me now, Asuma," Tanga insisted.

While she was distracted, Natin pounced on her. She protested and fought against him as he began to drag her away from the den by the back of her neck, growling playfully despite the anxiety in his eyes.

"Asuma, tell me what happened," Vitani demanded, her voice sharp.

The light-furred cub cringed, but shook his head with a glance at his sister. "You'd best go into the cave to find out. I... I don't want Tanga to hear if I can help it."

"Chaka-"

"How can I calm down when I hear things like this!"

Asuma almost missed the flinch his aunt gave as she turned and dashed into the cave without a word, leaving the cubs to their duty to Tanga at the exclamation of Chaka. Natin hadn't moved far, but he had pinned the young princess to the ground to keep her from running to the cave.

"Tanga, can you come with us? We want to get you away from the den," Asuma asked pleadingly. He noticed his sister had a few scratches on her. Her green eyes were fearful as she bit into Natin's foreleg.

"Why should I? What's going on, I want to know!"

Asuma shook his head. "Sorry."

"C'mon, help me move her. She'll be more relaxed if she's farther away." Natin was still pinning the tan-furred, young lioness when he stood. He put his jaws as gently as he could on Tanga's right ear, and Asuma did the same for her left. She struggled a little, but soon she was allowing them to carefully guide her along with little dragging. When she realized it was futile and important that she do as she was told, she was walking on her own.

"What is it that you don't want me to hear?" she asked. "Is it really that bad?"

Natin sighed, shooting Asuma a look of sympathy. "Yes, it is," he remarked.

"___!_"

The three cubs barely had the time to scatter out of Chaka's path as he raced down the side of Pride Rock. Many of the other lionesses, including Vitani, were right on his heel. Nala followed behind them more than a dozen slow heartbeats later.

"Oh, no..." Asuma groaned as he sat up. He hadn't seen that look of fury on Chaka's face since he saved him from the wild dogs, and even then he'd been missing the dedicated hostility that he had now.

"Dead lion walking," Natin remarked.

Asuma frowned. "This isn't the time for jokes, Natin! He isn't going to stop until he finds-" He made sure to cut himself off before he uttered the name of his father.

Natin glared back. "I wasn't joking, just stating a fact."

"Tell me what's going on!" Tanga shouted. "Now!" She struck Natin in the shoulder with a paw so hard that he almost fell over. "Now, or I'll find out myself!"

"No!" Asuma shouted. "It's for your own good. Believe me, you _don't_ want to know."

"I'll believe what I please," Tanga sneered. She then looked like she was going to run off, but Natin made sure to grab her. He knocked her to the ground.

"Geroff of me!"

"Tanga, just listen to him. Something bad happened today, and something even worse is going to happen. Just relax and-"

"No, I won't! Tell me!"

"Tanga!" Asuma shouted. He got into his sister's face. "Just look at me! How bad do you think it has to be for me to not tell you? You're making it very hard for me to keep you safe. You. Don't. Want. To. Hear. About. It."

For the first time, she must have noticed the urgency in her brother's face, which she had hardly heeded the last time she had calmed down. She said nothing at first, but she stopped struggling again, a look of shame on her face.

"Okay, Asuma," she said quietly. To Natin, she muttered, "You can get off, now."

Natin rolled his eyes. "Don't call me stupid, _Lewa_."

Tanga mimicked his eye roll, but was silent.

Asuma sighed. _Dad? A murderer? I know he wasn't __Zazu__'s__ favorite lion, but still... why would he say such things? He wouldn't..._

Something frightening arose in Asuma's mind. _No... that, that couldn't be... he said he was hunting, burying a kill..._ _he wouldn't lie to me... Would he?_

Asuma's mind was awhirl, uncontrollable and overloading with thoughts he knew he shouldn't be thinking up.

_Perhaps my father isn't the lion I thought he was..._


	21. Definition of Betrayal

Kiara opened her mouth to shout, but her words were overcome by the tremendous roar of her brother as he launched himself, full force at her mate, who was knocked to the ground with a grunt. Over their snarls, she could faintly hear a terrific shriek, which she soon realized to be her own.

She knew he was fighting for his life, and Chaka made this perfectly clear as he struggled against Kovu. He searched for the black-maned lion's throat and dug his claws into Kovu's belly, where it became painted in crimson as blood welled to the surface. They rolled over and over, churning up earth and smudging it with red. The small, leaf package of Tswane's herbs Kovu had been carrying with him exploded and disintegrated. Their roars deafened Kiara, who stood there, dumbfounded, for only a second before she leaped in to try driving them apart, but they sent her rolling backwards with a blow to her side and with scratches on her forelegs and face. Their blood stained her fur.

"Stop this! Stoppit!"

The lionesses in the pride had not been far behind Chaka, but in the time it took them to pull Kovu and Chaka away from each other, their murderous glares centered in faces caked in blood, there had been damage done. One of Chaka's eyes was firmly closed, and horrifyingly Kovu was missing the last half of his tail. Kiara charged up to Chaka, fuming.

"What is the meaning of this?" she shouted in his face. She moved to strike him, but he dodged away. "How dare you!"

"Kiara, he killed our father!" Chaka snarled.

"What?" Kiara gasped. She then leveled him in her gaze. "Why would you say such a thing?"

Nala was there in a second. Giving her daughter a significant look with her troubled eyes, Nala nudged a reluctant Kiara a few steps away from Chaka. "Kiara, let me explain," she said, breathless.

"Mom? What is it? What's Chaka talking about? Why..." She couldn't stop shaking her head.

Kiara sensed that her mother was about to say something terrible before she even spoke. "Kiara... Rafiki came to us with Zazu and told us that Kovu is responsible for your father's death. Zazu was there with them when it happened, and when Rafiki found him, Zazu told him everything," she said, her voice quavering at the end.

"Zazu? I want to talk to that bird," Kiara demanded.

Nala shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. He was barely alive when Rafiki brought him to-"

"Rafiki then!"

Nala shook her head again. "No, maybe Kovu is the one you should talk to, Kiara..." The older lioness shot an unreadable look at her son-in-law, who flinched.

When she turned to look at Kovu, she noticed that several lionesses had moved to make sure that Chaka was alright, but none had gone to help their king. Vitani even stood closer to Chaka's side than her brother's. He was standing there alone, his head and eyes now directed to his bloody paws. He didn't look up when Kiara trotted over to him. It felt as if she were in a dream, the edges of her vision fuzzy. She didn't want to ask, but she had to. _I have to hear it from his mouth. Have to hear it..._

"Kovu? What are they talking about?" she asked him, her wide-eyed gaze bewildered. "Is any of this true? Tell me that Zazu is lying, please..."

Kovu gave an involuntary shudder, but he had nothing to say.

"Kovu,_answer_me," Kiara demanded. "Did you..." _I can't even bring myself to say those words._

Finally, the dark-maned lion looked up. "No, I didn't kill Simba," he said, his voice firm. "But—"

"Liar!" Chaka snarled. "Don't excuse the witness that was there!"

"That stupid bird knew nothing!" Kovu roared. "I didn't kill Simba!"

Kiara's face heated up and her eyes misted. "But why would they say such things?" she asked Kovu. Her voice cracked at the end. "You... you've been acting so strange lat-"

"What possessed you to bring him to your mother? You knew she would slaughter him, unless that was your intention," Chaka sneered. With one paw, he raked his claws over the dirt, leaving behind four, jagged trails of blood, his itching to get at Kovu obvious.

"Zira?" Kiara squeaked. "Why—"

"She was begging to be forgiven, and I wanted to prove myself to him," Kovu shouted back. A new desperation heightened the level of his voice, making it a bit shrill. His green eyes were panicked. "I _never _thought she'd kill him. He was like a father to me. They were fighting an-and I tried to break them apart but couldn't. I was going to kill he-"

Chaka scoffed, his lip curling to show his fangs. His accusing glare burned into Kovu's mind as he snarled, "We would see scars if you cared for him as much as you say you did. You would have died alongside of him instead of hiding this from your family... Could have easily brought her back to Pride Rock if what you tell us had any merit. Only the guilty hide their mistakes and decide to burying the evidence like you did!"

In an instant, there was a rise of agreeing shouts coming from the pride. Kovu took this in, his face openly astonished and furious as the hairs along his spine and hips stood on end. He flattened his ears against his skull, his eyes wide with escalating panic.

"I wanted to protect you!" Kovu's eyes darted around the group before they landed on Kiara.

"All you cared about was taking the throne from my father," Chaka went on. "With him dead because of your stupidity, you knew that your position would be jeopardized. That's all you cared about. Your family means _nothing_ to you!"

"He doesn't deserve to be king!"

"Turn Kovu out!"

"Traitor! Rogue!"

"He betrayed us, just like Zira!"

"He's no better than Scar!"

"Scar at least admitted to what he di-"

Kovu roared. "Silence!" he shouted. "I'm not Scar!"

"Then what are you, Kovu?"

Kovu flinched and looked down at his mate.

Kiara growled softly. She stood a hair's breadth away from him now. "Why did you do it then? Just tell me."

Kovu was clearly taken aback. His voice was husky as he began to speak. "Kiara I didn't mean... I-I'm so sor-"

"No! I need to know, Kovu. Tell me! Why? Stop apologizing!"

Kovu ground his teeth, but again he fell silent.

"Well? She's waiting," Chaka taunted.

"Kovu... please," Kiara whispered pleadingly. "I just want the truth."

Kovu narrowed his eyes, his entire expression darkening. "Fine," he snapped. "You want the truth? If your father hadn't had such an issue with trust and forgiveness, then none of this would have happened. I couldn't feel any more terrible that he had to die, but his death had nothing to do with the throne. And not only is it _my_fault he's dead, but it's Chaka's, too!"

"You're crazy!" Chaka snarled. He took a step forward, but Nala was there to block him with the firm reminder of her foreleg across his chest. He hardly acknowledged it, straining forward as if he were tugging at a leash.

Kovu was nodding. "Zira wanted to tell Simba that she wanted to beg forgiveness for what had happened to you. If you had come back here sooner, Simba wouldn't have agreed to meet with her and wouldn't be dead! She wouldn't have tricked us!"

"You're not serious? Do you hear yourself?" Chaka bared his teeth, his deep, guttural growl raising the hairs on the back of Kiara's neck. "For some reason I fail to see how my father trusted such a deceiver as you in the first place!"

"You wanted the truth, and didn't I give it to you?"

"Kovu..."

"What could be expected from someone like you is what you've given us! You've been hiding this side of you for so long that you've lost control!"

"Kov-"

"Toss him out!"

"No, kill him!"

A deadly, bitter grin alighted on Chaka's grisly jaw. "Pleasure'd be all mine," he snarled. He shoved an anxious Nala out of the way, and was starting to creep back towards Kovu.

"No!"

Though she wouldn't stand a chance against the big lion if he decided to harm her, Kiara lunged for Chaka, striking him across the face with her paw. She didn't use her claws, but he yelped and snarled in surprise. He immediately took a step back, shaking his head furiously. With his one good eye, he glared at the honey-furred lioness.

"You will not harm him, Chaka!" Kiara shouted. Her ears were pinned against her head and her tail lashed out behind her. "I won't let you harm him!"

He glared her down. "Then what do you expect I do about him, huh? Don't expect that I'll spare his life for what he's done to our father," Chaka retorted. He stood with his head lowered, intimidating her.

_Steady, girl..._

Kiara swallowed. She glanced over her shoulder at Kovu. His face was such a jumble of emotions, but the clear one she could pick out was anger. She turned back to Chaka. In as calm a voice as she could muster, she spoke.

"I won't let you harm him because... because I'm sending him away from the Pride Lands."

"Kiara!"

Barely could she make herself look at him again. Anger had been replaced by shock. "I... I'm sorry, Kovu," she told him. "I think it would be better for everyone if you left the Pride Lands."

"But I won't... I-I can't!"

"It's only for a little while," she said, trying to assure him like she would their children. "It's for the good of the pride."

"Kiara-"

"Are you deaf? Leave!" Chaka seemed fully aware that only Kiara stood between himself and Kovu. "You don't deserve to call this your home."

Kovu's lip twitched and he growled loudly. He was looking at Kiara when he said, "I told myself I was crazy to think that you'd turn on me, but I guess I was wrong."

Kiara narrowed her eyes. "Kovu, that's not what I want-"

He began pawing restlessly at the ground. "You don't know what you just did, Kiara," Kovu snarled, cutting her off. He turned his back to her and the rest of the pride. "I hope you're happy..."

"Kovu, wait!"

She tried to run after her mate, but several lionesses barred her way, something that was reminiscent of a past she thought she had left behind. It had become her reality again, much to her displeasure, and this time she was only half certain she wanted to chase after Kovu though she knew she had to. She glared at the lionesses. "I'm your queen, not some foolish princess. Let me through!" she growled.

"Kiara, he's gone."

Nala placed a gentle paw on her daughter's shoulder, but it was shrugged off.

"I can talk to him," Kiara argued.

The look in her mother's eyes infuriated her so... but only because something deep down told her that her mother was right in more than one way. Nala should have been angry, but instead there was deep sorrow where fury should be.

"I'm sorry, Kiara... I'm so sorry."

"No, mother... I'm sorry..."

Kiara's breath hitched in her constricted throat.

"I can hardly believe it..." she whispered. Overwhelming panic then set in over her. "Wha... what am I going to tell the cubs?"

"Please don't tell me you're going to try coddling them," Chaka snarked from behind, causing Kiara to bristle. She remained silent as he went on. "Asuma and Natin were already in the cave when we received the news. Tanga must know by now."

"Yes, but they won't know if he's alive or dead," Nala pointed out with a glare over her shoulder at her son. She shook her head disapprovingly. "You may be in this pride, but you haven't been around long enough to know what's best for a mother and her cubs- your sister and your niece and your nephew to be exact. This has little to do with you, and I suggest you watch your mouth and calm down. What authority do _you_ think you hold?"

Kiara would have found herself smiling at the look on Chaka's aghast face if she hadn't been searching the horizon for Kovu. Remembering himself, Chaka shut his gaping mouth and rolled his shoulders. He glared down at the ground for a moment before he started to groom his face, flinching when his paw touched his wounded eye.

Kiara sighed heavily. "It won't be easy either way. If the cubs know, then they also know how upset the pride is. It would almost be easier to tell them the truth."

"But do you want to?" Nala asked gently.

Kiara shook her head after a brief pause of contemplation. "No, I don't. This is much worse than telling them that their daddy was raised to be a killer. I don't want them to know that he really might be one."

"Where did Vitani go?"

Kiara looked up with all the other lionesses. The pale-furred, lanky lioness was nowhere to be seen.

"That's odd," Nala murmured. "She was here a moment ago."

"Do you think she went after Kovu?" Kiara asked, uncertain. _Wasn't she with Kovu when they brought the news back of Daddy's death?_

Nala was growing restless. "For her sake, I hope not. But for now, we should go find the cubs. This pride can't afford to be in chaos for long."

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"They're coming back. I can just see them now. Maybe a few more minutes. I think they're running."

"Oh." Asuma stretched his neck and turned to Natin, who had been on the lookout for their pride once they returned. They were sitting together, alone except for the younger cubs in the pride, inside of Pride Rock where the young lion's voice echoed loudly and startled Tanga. Asuma thought he'd never seen his sister so calm as she was now.

All five cubs perked up when they heard the arrival of panting.

"Natin, you need to come with me."

"Why, Mother?" Natin exclaimed, his voice cracking in surprise. He was thrown onto his back by Vitani's quick appearance. "What's going on?"

"Yeah, what happened? Where is everyone?" Asuma asked as he moved closer to his cousin and aunt.

With the look she shot him, he thought she would have never seen him before in her life. "Oh," she stumbled. "Everyone will be along soon enough. I need to talk to Natin for a moment. Come on, Son."

Vitani wasn't giving Natin much of a choice, and before he could take a breath to argue, she was out of sight. She called his name.

"Do you think...?"

Natin's blue eyes were wide. "I'm not sure," he replied as he shook his head. He glanced behind Asuma once to Tanga, then, lowering his voice he whispered, "I'm not so sure that I'm coming back."

"Are you sure?"

"Natin! Now!"

Natin cringed. "No, I don't think so."

Asuma followed Natin as far as the edge before the steps down from Pride Rock, and soon Tanga joined him. They watched as Vitani set the quick pace, which struck Asuma as alarming. _What in the world happened out there? Why is she running away? Where are they going to go now?_

It was even more interesting to watch when several of the other lionesses intercepted Vitani and Natin's path and stopped them. One of them was their mother.

"Would you think that I was a baby if I said that I was scared?" Tanga whispered, jolting Asuma away from his racing thoughts.

The young prince shook his head. "Don't worry, I'm scared, too, Tanga."

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"Natin, move fast-"

"Wh-where do you think... you're going, Vitani?" Kiara asked the thin lioness through gasping breaths. "Natin? Wh-where a-are you taking... him?"

"Please move aside, I need to find him."

"What do you want me to do, Kiara?" the lioness at the young queen's side snarled. She was not a lioness from Zira's broken war-torn pride, and she eyed Kovu's sister with suspicion. The rest of the pride moved to surround Vitani.

Kiara took one hard look at Vitani, searching her face for something she could go on. With the shake of her head, she said, "I want you to just listen... and take Natin back to the den."

"No!" Vitani snarled. She crouched over her son, who yelped when his mother's weight was pressed upon him. "He's coming with me!"

At this point, Kiara was dismayed and fighting to keep her temper with the frustrating mother. "Vitani, you can't just take him!" she reasoned. "He's an..."

She sighed and trailed off at mid-sentence.

"Kiara?" the same lioness persisted.

"I want you to stand by, but give us some space," Kiara finally told them. "I want to talk with her, please."

Several of the lionesses shrugged, while Kiara caught a few others flashing Vitani a look of sympathy before they began to widen the circle they made. They went far enough away to still be of help, but were just out of earshot. Kiara turned to Vitani.

"Kiara, you can't stop me," Vitani spoke. She lifted her chin stubbornly.

The ocher-eyed Kiara nodded. "I suppose I can't," she said. "But I want to know _why_ you're leaving. You have done nothing wrong. Are you leaving to find Kovu? And with Natin at your side? One of the pride's heirs to the throne? He'd be in danger!"

"He's also my son, so don't you think that I of all mothers could protect him?" Vitani snapped. Her face then softened a bit. "Besides... I can't leave him behind."

Kiara sighed, exasperated. "But why _are_ you leaving?"

She wasn't even sure if Vitani had heard her. Finally, she said, "If you let me go find Kovu, with Natin, I'll make sure I fulfill my responsibility as his mother and to my pride, don't worry, if I don't return soon. I'll send him back when he's ready." She then sighed. "Kiara, you must know something about me."

"What?"

The lioness' gaze did not waver when she said, dropping her voice, "I knew the whole time that Kovu was lying about Simba. He asked me to help him hide it, and I promised I wouldn't speak a word."

Kiara pricked her ears. Her toes went cold but her face grew uncomfortably warm. "W-what?" she stammered. "Vitani... how could you?"

"Mother, what are you talking about? What happened to Kovu?" Natin suddenly interrupted. Both lionesses turned their attention to him, his presence painfully felt.

"I will meet you by the watering hole," Vitani told her son. She glanced once at Kiara, but wasn't stopped. It was known by both lionesses that Vitani would find one way or another to be with Natin. "Go."

"But-"

"I'll explain later," Vitani urged. "Go, Natin."

The young lion glared at his elders with suspicion for a moment, but did as he was told and left them. Vitani was the first to speak.

"How much do you think it would have cost the pride if I had ratted my own brother out?"

"Cost the pride? You mean that you were looking out for yourselves." Kiara could hardly believe the harsh words that were coming from her mouth, but she knew those were her true feelings.

Vitani shook her head adamantly. "No. I would have told you in an instant if the circumstances would have been any different, trust me," she insisted, her eyes narrowed. "How dare you say something like that, Kiara?"

"Then explain it to me," Kiara replied coolly. She struggled to keep herself from shaking, her expression unnaturally stiff.

Vitani sighed. "I'm just as puzzled as you. Kovu was stupid to bring Simba to Zira, but from what I understand he did it because he wanted to win Simba's trust back. You may not have known this, but your father's faith in Kovu was wavering- but it was all in his head! Simba was having nightmares, and they were about Kovu. Kovu went much too far to get what he wanted. He came to me, pleading, that I help him. He said we couldn't tell you for the sake of the pride. He didn't want to leave it unprotected against a new male who would upset the balance and kill the cubs. He also didn't want to lose his family. He knew he'd be turned out."

Kiara's eyes squinted. "But I would have tried to understand. It was just a mistake, wasn't it?"

"Believe what you want, but Chaka did have a point- he could have done more to save your father."

Kiara bit her lip. "Is that what you think, Vitani? You're his _sister_."

Vitani didn't even blink when she said, "I was a fool to believe the things that I was told."

_Then I must find out the real truth, what's really in his heart._"Do you think you can find him?"

"If you're thinking about talking this out, I think that would be very foolish of you," Vitani warned. "He's angry, for one, and it would be very stupid to bring him back to the Pride Lands, especially since _you_ were the one who sent him away."

"He's my mate, I _should_ talk to him. I want to know," Kiara insisted. "It won't do any good if he's out there, and it was only supposed to be temporary. He just didn't understand."

"Kovu is much more dangerous than you have ever let yourself believe," Vitani said. Her tone was laced with that of a half-scoff. "Asuma knows more than you, and he knows nothing."

"Vitani, what are you talking about?"

"Kovu, I believe, was so wrapped up in himself that he thought that Asuma would give him up. He was no better than Simba! Those dreams your boy is having meant a lot more to Kovu than to anyone else. The night Asuma was lost was the night of Simba's murder. My brother never told me that Asuma had been there when he was with Simba, Natin did, but after Asuma got lost on Kovu's watch the second time, I have my suspicions."

Kiara was silent for a moment. "You want me to let myself believe that he would hurt our cubs, don't you," she remarked quietly.

A warmth seemed to creep into Vitani's callous, calculating, blue eyes. "Yes, but only because I don't want you to get more hurt than you already are. I'm only reporting what I know and believe. Don't you think that's more important than hurting you? Part of the reason why I fell into helping him was because he threatened to harm me."

"No... I suppose you don't want to." Kiara flicked at a rock with her paw. She glanced over at the expectant members of their pride. They were waiting to see what they would do, to see if she was going to allow Vitani to leave alive like she did Kovu. _But they don't know what I know._

"Go."

Vitani perked her ears, as if maybe she had misheard.

Kiara found it hard to not smile. With a nod, she repeated, "Go. Find Kovu and find a way to bring him home."

The tawny-furred lioness dipped her head to her queen. "I wish you luck, Kiara. I'll do my best. For the sake of the pride."

"Let the Great Spirit help you. And watch out for Chaka."

Vitani, who had turned away, paused mid-step and glanced over her lean shoulder. "I'll need more than the Great Spirit's help."

Kiara could already hear the disapproving yammering that was going on behind her as the rest of the pride watched Vitani leave without question. She turned to them, frowning.

"She's gone to talk to Kovu!" she explained, shouting over their arguing. "He'll be a danger to the pride if she doesn't! Don't you see?"

"How can we trust her? He's her brother!" one of the elder lionesses shouted. "One of them!"

Several of the lionesses formerly from Zira's pride bristled and shot dirty looks at the lioness who had spoken. "What do you mean by 'one of them'?" one challenged her. The others nodded their heads.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound unclear."

"After what happened, you-"

"Stop this, what do you think that you're doing?" Kiara exclaimed, her voice shrill with panic. _What is wrong with you?_ "Stop, whatever you're doing. Can't you see that you're making things worse for yourselves? You should feel ashamed for saying such things just because you're angry with someone who isn't even here!"

It both surprised and relieved her that they all fell silent, lowering their heads. The Outsider lionesses were still glaring at the elder lioness, but at least they had stopped arguing for now.

"Kiara."

The lioness looked up at the sound of her name and her mother's voice. Nala was gesturing with the nod of her head to a pair of wide-eyed cubs. Tanga was hiding behind her brother, who's mouth was agape.

"Mother... whose blood is on your face? And where is Chaka?" Asuma asked.

"Why was he so angry?" Tanga piped in. "Asuma and Natin wouldn't tell me a thing!"

They had told Chaka to clean himself up at the watering hole especially for this moment, but in her haste to get to Pride Rock, Kiara had completely over looked her own appearance. She was uncertain what to tell them and what to leave out if she could, for clearly, Asuma had purposefully decided on his own to keep what Zazu had told everyone else away from her ears. She thought it was rather admirable.

_But now_i_t all depends upon what I want you to know, Asuma._

"Why don't we go for a walk, huh?" Kiara told them softly, forcing a meek smile. She glanced once at the rest of the pride, daring them to speak up. They held their silence.

"Are Natin and Vitani coming back?" her daughter asked, looking up at her. She led her children away so that they could talk, undisturbed. "Where did they go in such a hurry? And where's Daddy?"

"Walk with me," she told them. _I'll answer your questions soon enough...  
_

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_How dare they? How _could _they?_

Kovu was running, his body numb to his thirst, exhaustion, his intertwined emotions. He'd run all the way into the night, and now it was nearing midday again. _I'll just run until... I'll just keep running. I'll get as far away from them as I can._ _They betrayed me and turned me out. How could they? What _kind _of a family is that? What about our children? What was Kiara thinking? No doubt Chaka's already poisoned them all against me, and Kiara's going to do nothing to stop him, and neither will Vitani._

His eyesight blurred, and within a heartbeat he felt the hard earth embrace his jaw, which was still encrusted with the mingled blood of Chaka and his own. Somewhere beyond his incoherent senses, he could hear a bird squawk loudly, perhaps at the presentation of a dying meal.

_What's the point of getting up..._he thought miserably as the dust cleared. He couldn't feel his limbs anymore, and his paws were far more raw than they had ever been in his life, even with all the training he'd been through with Zira. All along his spine he could feel the increasing phantom pain that came from the missing section in his tail, which at the end had been shredded by Chaka's teeth.

He let out a cough of laughter. _I should have stayed and fought. It was cowardly to run like I did, and now I have half a tail to show for that cowardice. At least I took Chaka's eye with it, so that's not so bad, right?_

A slight breeze played with his mane. The scene around him surely was peaceful, and he'd run so far that he was starting to get back into nicer, more savvy land. He'd thought he'd seen a few zebra along the way, too. _If that dumb majordomo hadn't shown up, or if you hadn't turned me out, we could have made it here in a matter or a day or two. The pride would have liked it here..._ Instead, he knew they now wanted him dead. _They were right... I am no better than Scar._

Bits of dirt were getting in his watery eyes, and he closed them against the high and bright sunlight that was scorching his dark pelt. There was a moment or two when a weak, thin cloud would pass over a corner of the sun, but it was little relief, though before he fainted, it felt as if a bigger cloud had finally brought him some much-needed relief.

_I'm as good as buzzard food out here... and nobody deserves that more than me…_

* * *

Hope this is to your satisfaction after such a long wait (sorry about that)! This is either the second-to-next, or the last chapter in the first part, I haven't decided yet. Sorry it's taken 20 chapters previous to get this far. The story kind of ran away with with itself I guess. :)

_Happy Holidays!_


	22. Homecoming

**So yeah… sorry I haven't updated this story since Christmas (Wow… time really gets away from a person…) but that's because I've been contemplating how I'm going to continue this story in an effective way. I have an ending in mind, and I just need to jump back in and develop an appropriate middle. I have plenty of ideas in mind, but obviously if I thought they were what I want, I would have finished this already (plus I've been busy writing papers for school for the last few quarters.)**

**So many pieces, so many ways to put them together XD**

**BUT I have not forgotten about this story! It also makes me happy to see that my story is getting added to people's favorites. When I'm done working on the plot work for another project I've had in mind and have been beating with a stick to get the way I want it, I'll turn my attention back to this one and finally finish it. Since I've stepped away from this one for so long, I was able to reread what I have done and look at it with "new" eyes.**

**Onward to part dos!**

**Part 2**

**"Asuma? Asuma!"**

"What?"

"No, no**,** no! Stop goofing off, Asuma! Just like this, you see? And you crawl forward like this, and when you get very close, you turn your paws over just like this so they're deaf and blind to your attack. Your fur will muffle your advancement. Don't you remember? Or do you want to show Isabis and Neo the _wrong_ way to hunt?"

Tanga leaped to her brother's side. He was down in a crouch, but his tail end was too high in the air. She had shoved it down and skidded into a proper crouch herself next to him.

"This is just stupid," Asuma complained, frowning. He shook his head to clear his sight of his bangs, which had fallen into his eyes. For the last year, he had been working on a thick, light brown mane that was now reached the middle of his chest. When he gazed at himself in a reflective, watery surface, he was fondly reminded of his grandfather, only a messier version. He thought he saw bits of his father as well, from what he recalled of him, but he chose to ignore the cut of his chin and the harsh look in his eyes that only intensified as he grew older. His mother often called him handsome. "I don't see why we have to be out here," he added. "I hate hunting, you know."

Tanga coughed. "Stick in the mud," she muttered as she cleared her throat.

Standing up straight, Asuma frowned at her.

"Reeelaaax," she said with a grin. "I know you just don't like it out here, but we didn't even have to sneak away like we used to. It's expected of us to at least try and catch something by ourselves. At least if we do, it'll cheer them up."

"I doubt that it could. We lost Nala after all."

Why was Asuma trying so hard to be bum her out? It had been almost an entire moon since Nala's passing, but she would have wanted them to move on quickly. Tanga knew that, as she tried her best to do so, or at least act the part for her disheartened family, but she could only do so much when she was with Asuma. With a playful growl, she knocked him to the ground and pinned him on his back.

"The least you can do is pretend," she told him as she looked down at him.

"Fine." Asuma forced a smile, the corners of his mouth turning up so far that Tanga could see every deadly tooth in his mouth. "Is that good enough for ya?" he mumbled flatly.

"No, now I'm just scared. You're going to give me nightmares, Asuma. I hope you can appreciate that."

"Off," Asuma growled as he pushed her away and began to groom his ginger fur, running his tongue over the faint wild dog scars on his foreleg. Unlike Tanga, his pelt was still speckled with faint spots.

"Fine, then I'll leave you behind. I don't need you, Asuma," Tanga threatened. Her grin widened mischievously. "You're so awkward anyhow. You're constantly scaring away our prey."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do. Your skills were inherited from Mother… or lack thereof from the sounds of it… At least there's hope for you, I guess. Mother hunts perfectly fine now."

"Hey, I've caught some things here and there."

"Name one."

Asuma hesitated as he thought for a moment. "During the last family hunt, I caught that zebra," he reminded her.

"Yeah, with me! You never could have done it by yourself. I was the one who slowed it down just so you could catch it! That mane of yours must have a lot of drag or something."

"Will you stop it?" Asuma growled. He lunged at his sister, planning to pin her, but she dodged backwards, giggling all the while.

"Hmmm, stop what, Asuma?"

"Taunting me."

This time he caught her, but she went limp and somehow slid out of his grip. Playfully she batted him on the shoulder before jumping away. He gave chase, but lost her, standing amidst a grouping of bushes that surrounded him on all sides.

"Lighten up, brother, or your face shall be frozen like that," he heard her calling nearby. He looked around. He could hear her giggling without much control.

"Like what?"

"Like this!" Tanga popped out of the top of a bush, her claws forcing the corners of her mouth down far. She glared cross-eyed at him.

Asuma couldn't help but be irritated and delighted at the same time at the sight. He wanted to laugh, but he couldn't let his sister see that her cubbish foolishness was having an effect on him. He pounced on the bush, but she had already gone. "I've never seen such a becoming creature as you," he told her.

"_I've_ heard that the elephants are some of the most serious beasts around," Tanga's voice could be heard from another bush. "I suggest you go and ask them how all the time they're so down."

"Can't you not act like a cub for one day in your life? I don't think a hyena would even think you're as hilarious as you believe yourself to be."

"How would you know? You rarely get out enough to see what they're laughing at."

"This taunting is really getting pretty old."

"That's rather bold."

As he was walking past a bush, Asuma felt Tanga's paw as it flashed out and tripped him. He went down hard.

"Haven't you come to notice by now that I barely can stand doing what I've been told?" she asked. She slid gracefully from the bush before bouncing once on his back and jumping away. She laughed.

"Even in old age, you'll be nothing but a cub. I can see it now," Asuma called as he quickly got up and began chasing after her. "All hobbled over, and you will still be running around, showin' up all the young lions, each of them with a brow raised high."

"That'll be years from this time, and for now, you've still got to catch me!"

Tanga watched from a bush quietly as Asuma sought her out, without a clue that he was just mere steps away from her. She breathed shallowly and didn't even quiver a bit until he had moved on. She followed in the direction in which he had gone until she could hear a scuffling sound just on the other side of a few big rocks. She climbed over, and looked hardly long enough to see the general site of her target before she catapulted herself over the rocks and onto her unsuspecting prey below.

She had naturally expected the lion to be Asuma, but it wasn't. She realized this in midair.

Having spooked a dark-furred lion, he fought back and pinned her with her belly pressed to the ground faster than she had ever pinned her brother before. She had landed on his back, but somehow he had flipped her so that he was on top of her. Her eyes wide in terror, she expected to be finished off by the beast who had caught her. She covered her eyes with her paws and cringed when she felt his breath grazing the back of her surely vulnerable neck. She thought about calling for help, but she didn't want Asuma to get hurt.

The game they had played was over.

The lion, with a strong paw, rolled her over and pushed her away as if she were as light as a cub again. With a huff, Tanga jumped to her paws and glared at the stranger, who stood smirking at her, the tip of his tail flicking back and forth.

"You oughta learn to defend yourself better," the lion remarked. He looked on as she shook out her dusty pelt."You never know what kind of beasts are out here."

"I can defend myself," Tanga growled.

"Reallllly…"

"My appearance is deceiving, I suppose," she retorted.

"Sure… and cloud watching it some form of fun. You weren't out here doing that again, were you?"

"What...?" Tanga looked more closely at the lion. _Have I seen you before?_

He began to circle her, giving her the once over. "My my, you've certainly turned into a beautiful creature, I must say, Lewa," he said charmingly. "How's that old stick-in-the-mud brother of yours these days?"

"Natin?" A smile broke over Tanga's face. Only he had given her a nickname. She thought he looked so different from the last time they had seen each other. Granted, they had both grown up with the passing of nearly two years, but the way he walked and the build of his now muscular body threw her off. As a cub, he had been so lanky, his gait a bit clumsy. Now, he was so graceful that with even the smallest step he seemed like the most agile creature she had ever met. But, the main thing that she remembered was the deep blue of his quick eyes. "Is it really you, Natin?"

He nodded, smiling back at her.

"Hey... you should show me that trick you just did," she asked. "You moved so fast! How'd you learn something like that?"

"Oh, I've just been practicing a lot for self-defense, no big deal," Natin replied with an air of nonchalance. "Here, I'll show you, and then I can show you another if you have the time. You're a quick learner still, aren't you?"

Nodding, Tanga smiled wider at this, admiring Natin for his skill, and not to mention how handsome she thought he had become as he complimented her. He went down into a slight crouch and jumped playfully at her. Tanga mirrored him, and listened to him carefully, hanging onto every word. She watched as he then stood back up and sat with his back to her.

"The first thing to remember is to attack when your target is the least aware of what you are about to do. Take them off guard, distract them, stalk them, trick them- whatever it takes."

"Naturally."

"Now, when you leaped on me, I went down like this when I felt your weight," Natin explained as he dropped his front half closer to the ground while his hind quarters remained in the air, his knees slightly bent. "Your paws naturally tried to grab for something, which was my middle. You were just playing, but with any attacker it would be the same. You just dip your head like this, roll back on them, twist, and pin them."

He did all this as slow as he could, tucking his head between his paws before turning into a somersault. Next, he twisted over so that he would be on his paws and face-to-face with his imaginary foe.

"It doesn't matter if you pin them on their back or on their belly, so long as they stay down and can't hurt you. Care to try now, Tanga?"

"Oh, you bet!" she exclaimed excitedly. When Natin didn't make the move to "leap" on her shoulders, she figured it was just because he was so much bigger than her that it would make the move too difficult for her. Nevertheless, she performed the mock move she had just watched him do on an imaginary attacker, more or less elegantly compared to how Natin had performed it.

"Like that?" she asked him.

"Excellent!" Natin smiled. "Now do you want me to teach you another?"

Tanga nodded. "I can always try them out later on Asuma." She paused to think for a moment. "If I were… er, in the attacker position, I guess, would that move you just showed me work as well?" she asked, her head tilted.

Natin glanced down at the ground in thought. "I… I would think so if you could overpower them." He then looked back at her before crouching again, his tail end swishing back and forth. "Now, do you want another lesson or not?" he smirked. "C'mon."

"Bring it on!" Tanga laughed.

"Tanga!"

Just as she heard her name being called, Natin leaped at her awkwardly, bowling her over as they knocked heads. They were scrambling to their paws when Asuma raced up to them, glaring and snarling at the stranger who he hadn't yet to realized was Natin.

"Get behind me, Tanga," her brother growled, his teeth bared. The fur all along his spine stood on end. Natin quickly lost his surprise and mirrored his cousin's threatening attitude.

If the situation hadn't been so serious, Tanga would have laughed at the difference between the two males. Comparatively, Natin was bigger and far less lanky than the pale-furred Asuma. Tanga could only assume that living away from Pride Rock had been a harder life to live, making the young lion heartier, stronger. The drought they had lived through when they were young had come to an end long ago, and the dry season this year had been hardly worth noticing. She wondered if her brother could even win a fight against an opponent such as Natin since they had never needed to do so. Asuma just wasn't built for combat.

And she didn't wish to find out now.

"Asuma, stop!" she cried. "It's Natin!"

Her brother made a face. "Natin?" he repeated the name.

"Natin." She nodded.

Asuma continued to stare at their cousin, saying nothing.

"Well, isn't it great? Ain't you excited, Asuma?" Tanga said to break the wall of silence.

Her brother frowned. "I'm... not so sure that I would call it excitement."

Tanga narrowed her eyes. "What's the matter with you, Asuma?" she scoffed.

Again, Asuma said nothing, but the apprehension on his face increased.

"Wellll, Asuma, what is it? Why _aren't_ you jumping for joy?" Natin remarked with the tilt of his chin.

Asuma frowned. "For starters, where have you and your mother been all this time? Why didn't you come back?"

Natin snorted quietly. "You know well enough, don't you? And I've come back, as my mother wished, to once again take my place as a prince of Pride Rock."

"See, Asuma. Mother _promised_ us he'd come back one day!"

Asuma clearly was refusing to share in Tanga's excitement. "Your mother and you left the pride a long time ago. Why the return now?"

Natin blinked. "Does it matter?" he said shortly.

"Yes, it does."

When their cousin didn't continue, Asuma pressed for more information. "Well? Where _have_ you been? Where is your mother?"

Natin's jaw muscles twitched slightly as he ground his teeth. Tanga felt the smile drop from her face, and she felt a small chill run down her spine.

"I must report that Vitani is dead. She died bravely, and I've come to fulfill her promise." Natin glanced down at his paws for a moment. "All that matters now is that I'm home again... I hope the pride has been well."

_ Vitani? Dead?_ "I... I'm sorry for your loss, Natin," Tanga said quietly. She then shot Asuma a pointed look. _Why are you being such a jerk to Natin?_

"Your grief is shared," Asuma finally said. His body lost much of the tension, but his eyes still gave away his suspicion. "The pride has been well, but they'll feel the loss at losing a lioness like your mother, especially after Nala's passing."

Natin lifted his head a little though his ears lowered. "She was one of the loveliest lionesses I'd ever met. She'll be missed."

The three of them stood in silence for a moment before Tanga thought to speak up, involved in other thoughts of her own. She remarked, smiling slightly again, "They might be cheered up to see you, Natin."

"Is Chaka still around?" Natin asked suddenly, shifting his weight a little.

Both Asuma and Tanga nodded. "He's been a big help since... you know," Tanga said. "Mother hasn't been the same, but she's very good at keeping the pride in line since Nala isn't around anymore either. They'll both be so excited to see you, actually, I think!"

Natin gave a wry smile that caused the young lioness to quirk a brow, but he said nothing when she expected him to.

"Well..." The look on Asuma's face was reluctant to say the least. "If you plan to stay, we should take you to Pride Rock, I suppose."

Natin grimaced at this.

"Chaka was on patrol with Isabis when we left," Asuma said. "He might be out still." He turned to lead the way. "Come, let's get this over with."

Tanga sighed, but said nothing as she followed after her brother and cousin. _I wonder what happened to Vitani,_ she thought to herself. _I hope it wasn't the same rogues that got Simba and Father... Natin was pretty distant about the subject. I can maybe ask him later when he's settled in._.. She glanced briefly at Natin, whose face was nearly expressionless, only a hint of relief filling his blue eyes.

_...Maybe..._

8888888

"Do you think that Asuma will be back at the cave when we get there?"

"Not sure, Isabis," Chaka said as he made sure that the markings along the border were as clear as day to any intruders. He spread his jaws to yawn, knowing well what he'd be doing once he returned to Pride Rock. "Tanga and Asuma are busy hunting to practice for the official one in a few days."

"Well, I hope he is," the young, brown-furred lioness replied. "He's fun. Tanga, too."

_I wouldn't call him 'fun' if I were you,"_ Chaka thought to himself. He could easily admit to himself that Asuma had only continued to become more surly as he grew into adulthood, and it was clear to everyone but poor Isabis that he could care less for the pretty, young lioness, who in fact was going to one day be his queen. _Instead, I've been stuck saddled to you, even if it is to your benefit as the future queen._

This gave him little reason to wish for the well-being of the pride once Asuma, Isabis, and Tanga came into their own. He was just glad he was leading them for now.

"Isabis, what are you doing?" he asked the young lioness once he was able to drag his focus back onto her.

The young lioness shrugged, looking worriedly up at him. "Did I do something wrong again? I'm sorry..."

Chaka pulled a thin smile. "No big deal," he finally said, though he didn't appreciate the young lioness tainting his strong, male marks with hers. _Any passing rogue would smell them and laugh_, he thought. "Why don't you find something to stalk, hmmm? If you're good, you can show your skills off to Asuma," he suggested.

This made her smile, too naive to know that he was brushing her off. "Alright then, Chaka," she piped cheerfully. "Will you help me? You're really good, and I want to learn."

"In a moment I will."

"Great!"

While Isabis bounded off to find something else to get into, surely, Chaka did his best to cover up her markings with his own again and a little earth. When he was finished, he found himself staring into space, out past the border to the foreign territories that he had once roamed in search of his family. If had known what finding his family would have meant, even with the encouragement of Rafiki, he wasn't sure if the old Chaka would have been so eager to return home.

_I know you're still out there... and I'll be, waiting, right here, for you._

"Chaha, are yoo dah yeh?"

The big lion blinked and shook his head to clear the image of Kovu's backside as Kiara let him get away from his mind. _What was she thinking, letting him off easy?_ Chaka turned toward Isabis' voice, and he saw that she had caught two small mice.

"Loo wha I caw!" she exclaimed.

Without his bidding, he found himself smiling. _At least you're a good huntress._

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**This was a bit slower paced compared to the emotionally charged last part of part 1, but in a chapter or two, it will pick back up. But I do hope you'll enjoy reading. ****J**


	23. Hearsay Won

**Update time!**

**[Edit] Yeah... *facepalm* I totally forgot something pretty important. Scroll down to Natin's convo with Kiara and Chaka if you're interested. Otherwise I'll have the characters further address it in the next chapter. Also fixed an error or two in the last section. :)**

* * *

"Kiara?"

"Yes, Suki? What is it?" The Queen of the Pride Lands turned her head to the lean, dark-furred lioness' gentle voice. Kiara and Suki, the mother of Isabis and Neo, were at the watering hole. The younger lioness had invited her queen to go on a walk with her, and they'd paused for a drink. It was just after high-sun.

"How are you? I mean..." Suki's honey-brown eyes darted around her as she searched for the right words.

"It's okay, Suki. I don't mind if you're up front with me, remember?"

"Oh, right," the other lioness replied, returning Kiara's grin with an awkward half-smile. "Yes, because we're going to be family one day."

"And to answer your question, I'm doing just fine. There is no need to worry about me. It's all a part of the great Circle of Life."

"Right..." Suki's voice was wistful as she added, "I was just thinking about when my mother died. I miss her every day, but I know that she is also with me every day in my heart. Your mother was a great lioness."

Kiara nodded. "Yes, she was."

"I don't remember my mother much. She... you know... Before the prides merged. I try to imagine how she would have raised me if she had lived longer, and I do that by being a good mother to Isabis and Neo. The other lionesses in my pride were rough and I've never been like that."

"I see a lot of you in Neo," Kiara told her. "He's a sweet boy."

Suki's ears lowered slightly as she smiled, her gaze falling to the ground. "Thank you, Kiara," she said. Her face then became troubled as a crinkle formed on the bridge of her nose. "But that's why I'm only worried. 'Sweet' gets you into trouble. My son shows no interest in learning combat and he shrinks away when he's faced with an argument. He's ... sensitive about those things. I'm... worried about him. He could be on his own one day if he chooses to leave the pride. I want the best for him, really..."

Kiara led Suki away from the watering hole. She offered Suki an earnest smiled as she said, "Is this why you've asked me to go on a walk with you, Suki?"

If it would've shown through Suki's dark fur, Kiara would have seen that she was hot-faced. "Yes, Kiara, it is," she replied after a moment. "What do you think I should do?"

Kiara's thoughts went to her own son as she considered what Suki might want to hear, which was hard when she herself was troubled by the lion Asuma had become. Ever since Kovu had left, she had noticed a visible change in him, and it hadn't taken her long to realize that hearing that his father was a murderer had damaged part of him. He wasn't innocent anymore, though she had tried her best to preserve some of the sweetness he had been born with. She saw that Asuma was determined to not be a disappointment, not only to the pride, but to himself, and she feared that he was doing so in a way that was pulling him further away from reality. Chaka's harsh, eager criticisms didn't help, either.

"Neo's a smart boy," Kiara finally replied. "Have you spoken to him about this?"

Suki shrugged half-heartedly as they walked. "A little, but I don't want to go about it the wrong way. He's eager to please, but he won't do what he doesn't want to do, and he's not violent by nature. He's stubborn."

So briefly that Suki wouldn't have noticed, Kiara cringed. Some part of her knew that she had no right to give Suki advice, but she also knew that Suki, who was one of the most soft-spoken lionesses in the pride, had purposefully sought her council. _How can I be truthful when I know a truth that I don't like myself?_ she thought.

"Neo is fond of Tanga, isn't he?" Kiara asked. She already knew the answer, and she also knew that Tanga and Asuma often went to great lengths to evade the attention of both Isabis and Neo, but she felt it would do Tanga good to spend more time with Neo, especially if Natin never returned as Vitani had promised her long ago. "Maybe he'll be encouraged to do as you wish if my daughter were to help you?"

Suki smiled. "Oh, I would be grateful, Kiara, if she would help with Neo! She's becoming such a lovely lioness, and Neo really does adore her."

Kiara couldn't help but laugh softly at the bright-eyed lioness, every bit of anxiety gone from her pretty face. "I'll have a word with Tanga later today about helping you."

"Will she be okay? Working with Neo, I mean?"

"Don't worry, Suki," Kiara assured her friend. "Tanga understands what's expected of her."

"Right, I knew that," Suki apologized. As they were walking, she looked up and over to the side, her ears perked. "Speaking of your children," the lioness said, "is that them?"

Kiara followed Suki's gaze, and sure enough, she could see that there were two lions, who were still some distance away from them.

"Kiara!"

Suki caught the young queen off guard when she stepped into her by mistake, causing both lionesses to stumble. The dark-furred lioness' nostrils were flaring.

"Suki, what is it?"

"There' s a stranger with them... but he smells familiar to me. I can't tell who it is exactly. What do you think?"

Kiara raised her nose to the breeze. Her children and the stranger were upwind from them. _I'm not sure either..._ Kiara thought as a feeling of unease caused her claws to unsheath and her tail to lash behind her.

"You don't think it's... him... do you?"

"Kovu?" Kiara didn't think it was him, but so much time had passed that she didn't dare trust her nose. It frightened her to think that it could be Kovu. After all, neither of her children knew that Kovu was still alive, and the entire pride had been tiptoeing around Tanga to avoid giving her the knowledge of what Kovu had done.

_If the stranger truly is Kovu..._

"What should we do, Kiara? Should we run back and tell Chaka?"

"No," Kiara replied instantly. She gave Suki an apologetic look when she saw that the lioness had flinched at her sharp tone. "No, we don't need Chaka yet," she continued. "We'll go speak to his stranger ourselves first. You know he would only make things worse."

"Right. Of course."

* * *

"Tell me something, you."

Asuma growled softly when Natin leaned into his ear. He resisted the urge to swat Natin away.

"They haven't told her, have they."

"About what?"

"You best of all know what I'm talkin' about. You're suspicious enough to guess at least."

Asuma's jaw tensed. "Yes... I do. So why did you think that they haven't told her?"

"I know Tanga-"

"No you don't."

"She hasn't changed much," Natin replied bluntly. "I was tipped off when she was much too happy to see me. That's why. Have they really not told her about-"

Softly, Asuma cleared his throat as a tall blade of green grass hit his muzzle. "What is there to tell?" he replied coolly.

Natin snorted rudely as he shook his head slightly. He then whispered quickly, "Well? Does she know? I need boundaries."

"No, she does not. Don't even breathe his name," Asuma said sharply. He then gave Natin a hard look, to which his cousin narrowed his blue eyes and raised a brow as if reluctant to believe that the pride had been able to keep the truth of what Kovu had done before his eventual murder a secret for so long.

_If you can keep your mouth shut, it'll stay that way..._

"Hey!"

Tanga's voice caused Asuma to stiffen like a guilty cub caught sneaking away from the babysitter. To his relief, when he turned his attention to her, she was well ahead of them. His sister gave a laugh as she leaped towards the two figures that, when Asuma squinted, he could see were their mother and the skittish Suki. He sighed in relief. _Thank the Great Kings it's them. They'll help soften the blow with Chaka when he finds out that Natin has returned... and what that means for him._

Both Natin and Asuma had to run to keep up with Tanga, who had already delivered the news to the two lionesses, putting them at ease that the stranger was indeed Natin. Asuma studied their faces, noting that an easily readable Suki still had traces of worry left over that should've disappeared with the realization that Natin was no threat to them, if she, of course, had been any other lioness in the pride. _How happy are you going to be that he's returned?_ Asuma thought to himself. _Neo was second in line after Natin if he had never returned to us... from wherever he was all this time._

The young lion watched as Kiara and her nephew exchanged nods in greeting. "I knew Vitani was going to do her best to make sure you came back." Kiara was smiling brightly, her eyes squinted in delight. "You've grown up so much, Natin!"

"You should see one of his combat tricks, Mother," Tanga piped. She looked up at Natin, who smiled back. "He's very good. Asuma was convinced that we was attacking me when he was teaching it to me."

"How was I supposed to know you weren't in danger," Asuma retorted.

Tanga shrugged and then smirked at her brother. "But you were convinced, weren't you?"

"Did... you learn these tricks from your mother?" Suki broke in as she massaged the ground with her claws. Asuma wasn't surprised to see that she also was standing the furthest away from Natin.

Natin nodded slowly. "Yes, rest Vitani's soul. It helps to learn these things when you're a rogue. It's hostile out there. She taught me everything that she knew."

"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss," Suki replied quickly. The dark-furred lioness sheathed her claws. "I know it's a hard life, too," she added.

"Yes, I can't say how much it saddens me to hear that we've lost her, Natin," Kiara spoke up, her body sagging a bit. She sighed. "Did they tell you...?"

Natin nodded. "Yes, I've already heard. I wish I could've returned sooner to see Nala one last time. It wasn't easy finding the way home," he admitted.

"You must be tired, Natin," Kiara said. She then turned and pointed herself in the direction of Pride Rock. "We'll send out a hunting party while you rest."

"That would be wonderful. It's been so long since I've had a descent meal."

"What about Chaka, Mother?" Asuma spoke up. He knew by the look on his mother's face that she was just as concerned as him, if not more.

He could tell she was forcing an uncomfortable smile as she replied, "We'll cross that river when we come to it," she told him.

Asuma, Natin, and Tanga followed just behind Kiara and Suki as they walked back to Pride Rock. He wasn't certain of what he could expect the rest of the pride to do with the return of Natin, but Asuma could already imagine the kind of mood Chaka was going to be in when he realized that Natin was there to stay.

"How's the rest of the pride these days? What about those little cubs?" Natin asked, breaking into Asuma's thoughts.

His sister shrugged. "Much happier than you left it. Isabis and Neo are big now..." She then dropped the volume of her voice when adding, "Nothing but big annoyances."

Asuma felt himself pull a face. "Having Neo follow you around is not nearly as bad as having Isabis watch your every move... and then copying it and asking why you did what you did."

"Sounds like she'll make a lovely queen for you, Asuma." Natin only smirked more devilishly when Asuma shot him a withering glare.

"If anyone hasn't changed, it's you, Natin," Tanga said with a giggle. Asuma shot Natin a nervous glance, but he was put at ease when his sister added, "As annoying as it is to hear you two bicker... I missed it a lot."

Natin chuckled. "Just don't get back into the habit of it, right?"

Tanga laughed. "Yes, it wasn't missed _that_ much."

* * *

There was a silence that descended upon the pride when Natin entered the cave behind his cousins. A few of the other lionesses, who'd been lounging outside of the den, had stared at him as he passed. Those who'd been laying close enough together had been flashing him furtive glances as they whispered their observations to each other. Natin wasn't sure if they recognized him or not, but when he saw Chaka for the first time in years, he was certain the big lion knew exactly that he was no stranger.

_I forgot just how big you are, Chaka... bigger than Simba was, that's for sure..._ After dipping his head in acknowledgement, the disfigurement of Chaka's eye made it harder for Natin to keep his gaze even with Chaka's, but he knew he had to. Natin could tell that Chaka was forcing to keep a friendly smile on his face by the way it had little effect on the muscles around his eyes.

"Finally returned home?" Chaka asked. "We're glad you're here, Natin."

Natin nodded. "Yes, I have come home as my mother promised," he replied. "Before she passed, Vitani taught me everything she thought I needed to learn. But I don't have the means myself, anymore, to learn what else I'll need to be a proper king. She did her best, but we both knew I was lacking. I can't be a proper king without you all."

Chaka nodded in return. When he then jerked his head to beckon Kiara closer, he bent to whisper something in her ear. When she stepped back, she turned her attention to Natin.

"Natin, I know you're tired, but Chaka and I would like to have a word with you away from the pride," Kiara told the young lion, offering him a smile. Natin noticed in the dim light of the cave that she looked much older than he had thought she appeared to be earlier, her eyes dull and tired. She then added, "There is a lot of catch up on."

Following his elders out of the den, leaving the rest of the pride to drain information from his cousins, Natin glanced over his shoulder. It seemed that Tanga was most eager to answer any of the questions that his former pridemates had about him, and he smiled at that.

Chaka led Kiara and Natin down the side of Pride Rock to a flat, secluded area that wasn't too far away. They were well covered from the heat of the day by the shade of a big baobab tree and several tall bushes. Kiara and Chaka sat down opposite of him with their backs to the thick, brown trunk of the huge tree.

"I can't explain to you how happy I am to see that you've come home," Kiara told him once aunt and nephew realized that Chaka wasn't going to be the one to start. "But we have a few questions for you," she went on. "I hope you understand, Natin."

Natin nodded. "I understand your concern."

Kiara then glanced briefly at Chaka, as if to signal for him to start their interrogation.

"You're mother died," Chaka said, clearing his throat, "how long ago?"

Natin replied, "Almost... twelve moons now, I think. It took me some time to find my way back here. You would understand this, Chaka."

"How did Vitani die?"

Natin did not hesitate, even when Kiara gave him a sympathetic look. "We were overwhelmed at a kill by a small group of lionesses who were, unfortunately, less interested in the food than in us. She told me we had to split up, and that we'd find each other again. We'd lay low for a while and hope they gave up the hunt. I waited for her, but when I went back... I found that she'd been murdered. The lionesses had already fled. There was little I could do."

"She told you to return home if anything was gonna happened to her."

"Yes, sir. It wasn't easy, losing her, I mean. It still pains me."

"Did she ever find Kovu?"

Natin shook his head to show his regret. "If she did, nothing became of it. My mother lost his trail a few days into the search. She was unable to pick it back up again. We never found a trace of him."

"And yet she still looked for him instead of returning home?" Doubt filled Chaka's green eyes.

Natin narrowed his gaze, his jaw tightening. "After what happened? She was unwelcome here. She made an unfortunate mistake, but she was willing to keep up the search. Her intentions were nothing but honorable. We never found Kovu," he reported. "I'm sorry."

"You did your best, Natin," Kiara put in. "It wasn't that important. I'm sure it would've been dangerous for anyone to face him alone." Kiara shifted her gaze to the branches of the tree overhead. "It sounded so much easier when she and I talked about what she was going to do."

Natin glanced down at the ground. "Thank you, Kiara, for your kind words. I miss my mother every day. It was a shame what happened to her. Nobody knows how long we've got before we're called to complete the Circle of Life."

"You haven't told Asuma or Tanga about their father, have you?" Chaka asked.

"Don't you think they'd be asking you a whole lot of questions right now if I'd blabbed?" Natin spoke coolly. "I'm much smarter than you must think."

"What do _you_ think they know then?"

"Like me, Asuma knows the truth: that Kovu's a murderer," Natin replied. He then watched Kiara's face as he said, "Asuma told me his sister remains in the dark." Natin felt a smirk creep across his muzzle and he tried his best to soften it. "I'm curious... how did you manage that? How did you explain Chaka's eye to them? And from what I can tell, neither of them realize that Kovu could possibly still be out there. Alive. And Asuma must think that you, Chaka, killed his father."

Kiara said, "They believe that Kovu was killed, you're right."

"Then what'd you tell them? What'd you even tell them about why we left?"

"It was easier to... lie... to my daughter," Kiara confessed, her voice strained. "You and Asuma heard about what Kovu did from Zazu and Rafiki, so there was no helping-"

"What of Rafiki?"

"Died not long after. Tswane has taken over for him," Chaka answered Natin's question.

"As I was saying," Kiara continued, "we've told Tanga that Chaka was running from the cave when he heard that two rogues were in the Pride Lands and that Kovu needed his help to fight them. They believe that their father was killed before Chaka could get there. Chaka's injury was from one of the rogues, who he killed for killing both Simba and Kovu. The other rogue was put down as well." Kiara paused for a moment. "Kovu is 'buried' in the graveyard next to Simba. They think that Vitani took you with her because she was nervous the rogues would come and attack us while we were weak. We thought they were young enough to believe that. That's what we've told them.

Natin had kept his eyes the entire time on Chaka, who all but glared back at him. He then asked, "Now what does Asuma_ believe_?"

Kiara frowned, a confused look on her face. "He believes that Kovu was killed by the same rogues that killed Simba, and that Chaka avenged both their deaths. Just like Tanga. I just told you."

"Are you so sure?"

Chaka growled. "Of course, what else should Asuma believe?"

"That's not the point." Natin shrugged and then pressed, "What do you _think_ he believes? Now?" When Chaka flashed him an irritated glare, Natin added, "I wouldn't want to be stupid and blab, you know."

"Of course Asuma knows that I was angry with Kovu, and that he killed Simba," Chaka stated. "Kovu was buried before either of them saw a body." Natin watched Kiara deflate and lower her ears as Chaka added, "I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Asuma thinks I killed his murdering father. He certainly acts like it. I never got a thank you."

"So you also feel that Asuma was okay with this," Natin said, his tone presuming. "He's not idolizing you as a hero, but he's certainly never talked about it from what I'm hearing."

"After what Kovu tried to do to Asuma?" Chaka snorted disgustedly. "I wouldn't be surprised if he hated his father and me both. So long as neither of those cubs think that Kovu could still be alive, forbid, then it doesn't matter _what_ Asuma believes I did, especially if he's not willing to _ask_ for the truth. He knows what Tanga was told."

Natin drank in this information. Kiara hadn't once removed her eyes from her paws while her brother had spoken, perhaps more harshly than he should have. It was easy to tell that Kiara was worried about her boy. But then she began to frown more deeply, and Natin wasn't so sure if it was due to doubt or annoyance on her nephew's part. Natin had pushed them as far as he could.

"If my son believes that something is wrong, he won't talk about it to anyone, and he never asked to hear more than what we told his sister," Kiara reiterated. Worry was etched on her face, and Natin found himself feeling sympathetic to her. Kovu had ruined so many lives, leaving far more scars than he'd originally intended. "Asuma spends a lot of his time alone with his thoughts," she continued. "Tanga tries her best to bring him out of his little world, but nothing seems to work. He used to be such a sweet boy, but now I fear his feelings of inadequacy are consuming him."

"So nobody's been able to reach out to him?"

Kiara nodded. "We've tried to get Tanga to confront him, but he'll dodge her questions."

"Maybe I could try?"

"No." Chaka narrowed his eyes. "That's no matter for you to be concerned with."

Natin frowned. Were Kiara and Chaka in such denial that they were going to allow Asuma to continue spiraling out of control? _It's disgusting..._ he thought. How could they allow for such a terrible thing? He scoffed, "You're not serious?" He couldn't help but chuckle, earning him a glare from both Chaka and Kiara. "Tell me, please, that you two are jok-"

"Silence!" Chaka boomed, lunging at Natin, who cringed away from the big lion lest he be wounded by the outburst of anger. "You've been here for less than a day and you're already a burr under my skin." He was shaking his head.

"So you'll expect everybody, including me, to play along? To let my cousin and a fellow future king _suffer_?"

"Don't talk so boldly," Chaka spat. "And don't forget that you're not a king just yet."

"He still suffers. Open your one eye for a change and don't be so ignorant about Asuma's condition."

"Enough!"

Natin thought that Chaka would strike him as he ducked his head beneath his paws. He failed to see why they were so persistent about leaving Asuma alone. One reason he thought of made his stomach do flip-flops: they were afraid of Asuma. But fear or not, it'd be best to correct what Asuma was going through. Then there would be no need for fear.

"Natin, you must stop this," Kiara urged. His aunt watched him uncurl himself and stand up again, this time much farther away from Chaka. "Please?" she asked, pleading. "Asuma can figure this out on his own. He's a smart boy."

Natin knew there was a dumbfounded look on his face, but he thought it would be best to stop talking. They were right. He had been there for just less than a day, and it would be stupid of him to get kicked out of the pride so quickly. It was becoming a waste of his breath anyway. _They won't listen to reason._

"Fine," he agreed.

"You do not speak to Asuma alone, do you understand?"

"Fine, Chaka."

The big lion nodded curtly. "Then you're excused."

Natin was eager to leave, and glanced over his shoulder when he sensed that Chaka and Kiara weren't following him back the way they'd come from Pride Rock. They were heading off in the opposite direction.

"Like it or not, I _am_ talking to Asuma," he muttered to himself. "He's one of the three keys to all of this coming to an end."

* * *

His teeth ripped the skimpy flesh off the leg bone he held crushed beneath his dusty paws, the rancid taste of the meat making his lip curl into a half-snarl. Kovu was certain that it was only his hatred that was fueling him anymore- he wasn't certain if there was much else- but it certainly wasn't scavenged meat that was going to get him to the next sunrise.

"When did you tell Natin to come back?"

Kovu narrowed his eyes at the awfully unpleasant sound of the voice. His lip curled up even more as he swallowed. "How many times do I have to tell you? Natin will return when his mission's completed."

"You say he knows his mission, but-"

"He knows where his loyalties lie, Sauda," Kovu snapped. "If he's not back by the time the moon is full again, we'll relocate ourselves near to the border of the Pride Lands. Anyway, we'll need to be camped there to prepare for the attack."

"Hmmm, well, we've been waiting years for this moment. I wouldn't want some foolish kid to screw this up for us."

Kovu rolled his eyes and growled. _Don't you be critical of me..._ he thought cynically. He felt his muscles jump along his back. "Why not spend your energy hunting for better meat or on training? That's what I'd do." Kovu's tone was cool as he spoke to the small, light-furred, green-eyed lioness who was sitting with him. To his disappointment, she was just out of striking distance as she smirked at him, the absence of one of her front teeth bugging him. "You know what's coming," he continued. "So don't bother yourself with matters that hardly concern you." Kovu glared at Sauda as she merely shrugged insolently.

"Why, am I not a part of your plan now? These matters concern me more than you are willing to admit," the lioness rasped as she pushed herself to her paws. At the sound of Kovu's warning growl, she quickly slunk off, making sure to move away sooner rather than later, and went to lay down next to one of her pridesisters. The two then began to playfully bat at each other.

Kovu groaned inwardly, considering the reasons why he thought the small pride of mangy lionesses were important to his success. It was a steady balance that had to be obeyed by both parties, but he'd been wondering more and more lately just how much longer he could put up them.

_If they're not going to appreciate me, then they better know their places..._

In exchange for "saving his life", the nomadic lionesses were willing to help him win back the Pride Lands from Kiara. Kovu had promised them a home with him once the battle was over, though for now they had little choice but to live on the modest hunk of land that he, and later with the help of Natin, had obtained for them little by little. The lionesses had lost their only male leader not long before they'd found Kovu, and willingly they'd accepted him, though he refused to mate with any of them. They were allowed to breed outside of their territory, so long as it was made clear that they and any new cubs were unquestioningly loyal to Kovu.

In great distaste, Kovu's appetite waned and he shoved the partially eaten bone away from him before he stood to stretch and clean his face. He was in a foul, brooding mood. There was plenty for him to still do that day, but he thought little of making himself useful, and instead he flopped back down into a cloud of dust. He longed to lie under a tree, but there weren't too many around in that part of his territory.

He longed for the den at Pride Rock.

He longed for the view over all his lands.

He longed for the queen who had disappointed and betrayed him.

He longed for his cubs.

Kovu thought for a moment and tried to imagine if he'd be able to recognize his cubs when he saw them again. Asuma, Kiara had always said, looked the way she remembered Kovu the first time they'd met, but Nala would say that she saw bits of Simba and Chaka in Asuma. Vitani would say that she saw bits of Zira in Tanga, much to even her displeasure for saying such things, but most of the pride would agree that Tanga took after her mother. He suspected that his son would look very handsome and strong, and his daughter would be a very pretty creature.

Dark thoughts then made him snarl under his breath. _They've poisoned them against me, my own children, I know it._

Chaka had a way of capturing everyone's attention. He was a trickster, Kovu knew this. His children wouldn't stand a chance. He was certain that Kovu had been painted as the worst murderer to set foot in the Pridelands since Scar had met his demise. That he was a coward with literally half a tail, too. But he wasn't a murderer like Scar. Simba had brought it upon himself, and Zira's death had unquestioningly justified. He wasn't a coward either. If Kiara had allowed Chaka to turn their children against Kovu, he wasn't sure what he'd be forced to do on the battle field.

Kovu inwardly cringed.

_"But there has to be justice, doesn't there? He got away with _murder_, didn't he? Murder is the worst."_ Just as before, a chill of foreboding stiffened his spine when he recalled the words of Asuma. It would be so easy to use the hatred that Asuma had for Simba's killer against his own father once the killer's identity was revealed to him. Whether Simba had brought it upon himself or not, it would be difficult for Asuma to understand the truth of the accident when Kovu wasn't there to explain it from his point of view. The _only_ point of view that mattered. The point of view that _everyone_ failed to understand. Why had they failed to see it _his_ way? It didn't take too long to taint the truth for someone who didn't have access to the facts, and Kovu had been away from home for years.

This epiphany made him feel more lifeless inside than ever. He was still breathing because he'd tell himself that he'd get his cubs back once he won the war and defeated Kiara and Chaka. Now he had doubt creeping into his mind like a snake into a mouse hole.

_It's hard to turn hatred around... just look at happened to Zira, and Scar deserved to die._

He glanced over at the lazy, heathen lionesses, who were dozing. He hardly trusted them, and could plainly hear and see Sauda's streak of deception in her voice and expressions. She was a fool to not hide it, and he wondered why he hadn't killed her yet, as he greatly suspected she had a plan brewing to do to him in the moment he'd declared victory.

_ Could I just walk away from this all?_ The thought was appealing to him, but in the next moment it disgusted him. He hated Chaka too much to just give up then and there.

But then he thought again... _If Natin gives me a poor report, should I just abandon the mission? Leave him here with these lionesses and walk into the desert, to die like I'd originally planned? Fate can't intervene twice, now can it?_

These irritating thoughts left him with a persistent headache, and he tried to push them from his consciousness like he would swat away flies with his tail, had it been long enough to function properly. The thoughts kept nagging at him until he felt sick to his stomach, though he knew the meat wasn't helping him out at all.

_Maybe that is what I'll do... _he considered. _When Natin returns, I'll say good-bye to him before he has a chance to tell me his report, leave him in charge, and walk out to the desert. Maybe this time the buzzards will finish me off._.. _Fate will do its job this time. Too little is keeping me alive..._

* * *

**Yeah... this last chapter kind of came out of know where. But I'm so proud of it! I took a pretty great psychology class this quarter, and it helped me incredibly with this chapter so that I could better develop the main characters and their motives (or unspoken motives). School's out for summer next week. I'm already planning out the next chapter and the rest of this story. I have high hopes that I'll be able to finish it in a fairly decent amount of time. But for now, I'm going to keep up the ON HIATUS condition in the description just in case ;)**

**If you have any questions or general reviews (which would be appreciated) that would be lovely :)**


	24. No Turning Back

**Hi, guys! Shembre here with another update! I could have updated sooner, but I was working hard on this chapter to get it the way I wanted, since this chapter is very important to the development of the 3 main characters (not that I wasn't doing that with all the other chapters). Anyway, thanks you guys who have been reviewing- they make my day! Also, the last chapter WAS supposed to be called "Hearsay Won't Yet Cure", but apparently doesn't approve of apostrophes. Oh well, the "hearsay" part was most important. ;)**

He had never really told her why he was so disapproving, but his feelings had been plainly there on his face and in his voice whenever Asuma had found her returning from her nightly vigils besides their father's grave. She often was forced to endure his judgmental glances, unless on the rare occasion he had fallen asleep before her return. She didn't mind the vigils themselves, but she also wouldn't have minded stopping, too, if it wasn't impossible for her to stop, of course.

Tanga found it hard to sleep when she failed to sit vigil where both her father and Simba rested peacefully. On the pawful of nights when she had forgotten, she'd suffered with nightmares until she served her brief vigil. She hadn't told anyone about those nightmares, and after the third time it had happened, she had been tempted to seek out Tswane for some of the herbs that Asuma took to keep his nightmares at bay. Once, she'd asked her brother if he would ever try to sleep without his herbs, but she'd gotten so little out of him, she could only assume he'd probably never trust to have a pleasant night's rest again without them.

Several days had passed since Natin's return, and Tanga hadn't wasted a moment making up for all the time they'd spent apart from each other. She'd hoped it'd be like the old days, before the death of two of their kings and the drought, but she was beginning to realize it was vain to think that the past mattered so much. And only once had Asuma bothered to join in on the fun; it had been because he was trying to avoid the younger cubs.

_But at least I can sit here and relax a little and not have to think about all that so much,_ she thought to herself, a pleasant smile alighting on her face as she sat between the graves of her father and Simba, one on each side of her. She closed her eyes and listened to the rustling of small animals in the nearby grass and the music of crickets. Thankfully, Neo and Isabis were too superstitious to bother her in the graveyard, especially when they feared the presence of a full moon. She thought it was humorous though, those silly cubs. A soft, cool breeze ruffled her fur, causing her to shiver slightly.

"So... this is where you've been disappearing to, hmmm?"

Tanga jumped to her paws and looked around until she realized it was Natin who had spoken. The young lion came towards her, his gaze sweeping nonchalantly over the dark grounds.

"Did Asuma tell you where to find me?"

He nodded. "He says you keep watch over Simba and Kovu every night... or something like that."

"His exact words?" Tanga remarked as Natin sat down at the foot of the two graves.

"No. Not exactly."

"Well, I don't care if he approves or not," she continued. "It's my business. It's just dirt."

"Why _do_ you do it?" Natin asked her. "I thought you didn't believe in that stuff."

Tanga cocked her head. "What stuff?"

"The stars... The Great Kings... that stuff."

Tanga just shrugged. "I really still don't." She ran her eyes from Simba's grave to Kovu's grave before meeting Natin's gaze again. "So I guess I really don't know why I do it... It makes me feel close to them, and I think it's become a habit now that it would be odd if I stopped completely. I could stop any time I wanted."

Natin looked at her for a few moments, an eyebrow cocked.

"What?"

"You _do_ know why you do this. You must not be able to stop, otherwise you would've done so a long time ago. Do you know how I know that you're either lying or holding something back?"

Tanga smiled a little. Her face flushed with hot blood. "How?"

"Do you realize that your ears twitch more when you fib?"

"Of course I do."

"No, you don't. Your ears, they just did it again. You've always done that, you know. Now tell me, _Lewa_..." Natin said. "Why do you come here to the graveyard?"

Tanga sighed. "You're just gonna think that it's silly, Natin."

"Promise I won't," he said. "Honest."

"Honest?"

"Honest. And I'll know if you're honest or not."

Tanga rolled her eyes and sighed. She pulled a face. "I get... nightmares if I don't keep vigil, even a small one." She flicked her tail. "Nobody else knows that. Asuma hasn't even asked."

"I thought that much," Natin replied. "What are your nightmares about?"

"I honestly try not to think about them."

"But you don't talk about them either, and they keep happening. You deserve some peace, _Lewa_." Natin scooted a little closer and smiled kindly. "Come, Tanga. Your secret will be safe with me."

She smirked. "Not even a king's subjects are required to speak each and every thought," she replied.

"Please?"

She couldn't resist the gentle, mischievous look in his eyes. _He wants to help me..._ she thought.

"I don't know what they really mean," she began. "They're just filled with anger... so much anger... I wake up so afraid, and once I woke up feeling just as angry. I've never felt such hatred before. I didn't think it was possible. They don't last too long before I snap out of the nightmare, which I'm glad for, but I'll never forget that feeling of fear and hatred."

Tanga had lowered her gaze to her paws. She flicked a rock to the side with her paw and looked back up at Natin. "Sometimes I wonder if these dreams are connected to the ones that Asuma used to have," she mused. She chuckled then. "Now that really is silly..."

"Honestly," Natin told her, "I don't think that's silly at all."

"Explain to me then how it isn't silly... because I can't explain it."

But Natin just stared back at her. He opened his mouth to speak, but he shut it again.

"That's what I thought..."

"Go talk to Tswane," he told her.

"I don't think I could," she replied. "And the pride doesn't need two crazy rulers."

"Hey. You are _not_ crazy." The firmness in his voice caught her attention. He narrowed his eyes at her and cocked his head to the side. "You think that your brother's crazy though... don't you?"

She was tempted to shrug, but she didn't. She remembered to keep her ears in check as she said, "The pride does. I don't."

"Your mother and Chaka do, I agree. They didn't have to tell me, but they fear him, and he hasn't exactly been bright and cheerful these last few days either. I wouldn't blame you if you thought he was."

"But I don't. And I'll be the last one to believe that he is. He's just... sensitive. I'm his only friend, you know. Well, except for Neo and Isabis. I feel bad for them, the poor things. He doesn't like them much, but I don't really either. Hopefully it's only because they're so young. It's not as if they're brats."

"I still wouldn't trust Asuma to be a king of Pride Rock," Natin remarked.

Tanga frowned at him. _Why are you being so difficult? What do you want me to say? Why?_

Then, out of nowhere, Natin's muzzle broke into a grin. "Look," he said, "I'm sorry, _Lewa_. I never meant to make you upset, really. I just wanted to help you out. Maybe... Maybe I could have a chat with Asuma?"

"He won't listen," she warned him, "especially to you. Why would he?"

"Because he was so suspicious of me?"

"Yes, and if he won't open up to me, I don't think he will open up to a stranger."

"But I'm not."

Tanga sighed a little. She wanted to tell Natin that he was. He'd been gone for way too long. She considered him half a stranger at best. "You can try. I guess there's no harm in it. He probably feels that we're all judging him. You're not one of us anymore, so you don't have the same opinions of him."

"That bad, huh?"

"What?"

"That he thinks everyone judges him."

"You knew that," she said more sharply than she intended. "He hasn't stopped doing that since Simba was murdered. He just mopes, and then everyone kind of ignores him. They don't know what's wrong with him. But you know what..." her voice softened.

Her tongue grew weak and she went mute for a moment. She tried to speak, but she couldn't. She stared at Natin blankly if not helplessly.

"What is it?"

But she could only shake her head.

"What? What's one more secret, _Lewa?"_

But she couldn't bring herself to even continue what she'd been thinking. It was much too painful. Forcing a smile... she said, "Nothing. Please just forget it." She felt so much more tired as she pushed herself to her paws and stretched. Her eyelids had grown heavy. "I've sat here long enough to not have nightmares. We can turn in for the night. Aren't you tired?"

He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "Tired enough," he finally remarked. He moved to headbutt her forehead playfully and she returned his action with a wider smile. It was comforting.

They walked side by side back to Pride Rock. As they walked, she was afraid that she had spoken too boldly and had given too much away too soon. She knew her family would be disapproving, but she wanted more than anything to trust Natin, and he made it so easy to speak so boldly and openly. She knew that if it hadn't been for her pridemates, she would have held nothing back at all...

_Well, maybe not everything..._

They were the ones making her feel uncomfortable, filling her mind with suspicion she would sooner rather dismiss. Was everyone filled with ill-intentions? She knew that long ago, her mother was just as carefree, but she wasn't anymore. Tanga was wondering why this was right before she saw Asuma and held out a paw to stop Natin in his tracks. Her brother was just outside the den where he typically remained until she turned in for the night. He was resting with his head on his paws, his eyes closed.

She raised a brow. She whispered, "Are you positive you wanna talk to him?"

"You're asking me to?"

She nodded after a moment. "If he'll cooperate, of course."

Natin pulled a face. "But your mother and uncle... they've told me to stay away from him."

She knew she was frowning. "What? Why?"

He just shrugged. His muzzle then broke into a smile. "Do think I'm gonna start listening to them now?"

"...Maybe you should."

"But I'd rather help him."

What Natin had said about him being forbidden to talk to Asuma made her uneasy. _But if I can't get through to Asuma, maybe Natin can..._ _That's what's most important. _She nodded to him. "I... want you to. He can use the help."

"That's what I thought, too."

Both young lions then approached the skeptical-eyed Asuma. He'd heard them coming, and she wondered if he had been able to make sense of their conversation. Tanga tried to smile brightly as he stood up.

"Yes?"

"Nice evening, wouldn't you agree, Asuma?" Natin remarked, looking up at the sky.

"I guess it is," Asuma replied softly. He lowered his ears slightly. "Everything alright?"

"I'm going inside the den, okay?" Tanga told them. She gave her brother a serious expression to tell him that Natin had something important to say and that he should listen. He stared back at her in irritation and confusion as she walked away, giving him little time to protest.

"Oh, I just wanted to take a quick walk. I haven't been able to bond with my..." she heard Natin quietly say. She waited for Asuma's reply, but by the time she thought to turn around and look, they were already gone.

Tanga laid down next to her slumbering mother, who appeared far more at peace than she'd looked in several moon cycles. Sleep did that for her. The cave was calm and Tanga quickly found herself heavy-lidded and relaxed.

She sighed and closed her eyes. _I really do hope that Natin can help Asuma..._

* * *

"C'mon, walk with me."

"Only because I know Tanga isn't going to leave me alone until I do," his cousin muttered.

He followed after Natin, who glanced over his shoulder to make sure that nobody was watching them. _ I can't afford to be caught by Kiara, Chaka, or anyone else who would tattle. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone knows it's forbidden for me to be alone with the dear little prince,_ Natin thought to himself bitterly.

They kept walking, past the watering hole, and soon they'd passed Tswane's tree. Neither of them had spoken just yet until Natin cleared his throat to catch Asuma's attention. "We've gone far enough, don't you think?" he finally said as he sat down.

Asuma shrugged and sat down as well. "What's this about?"

Natin liked how quickly Asuma got to the point. "Tanga wanted me to speak to you," he said.

"Obviously."

Natin braced himself. Hostility was written fully on the scrawny, young lion's face. "Tanga says that you're upset about something," he began. "The whole pride's noticed, too."

"That's not new."

Natin shrugged. He then started to smirk as he said, "But you wanna know something up front?"

"Something that I _don't_ already know?"

Natin frowned. "No. I promise you don't know what I have to tell you. Unless your mother and Chaka told _you_ to stay away from _me_. In that case, it would be wrong of me to even be talking to you right now."

"They did tell me to stay away."

"So you listen to nobody, hmmm? You came willingly." Natin chuckled. "Not your sister nor Kiara nor Chaka. But I wouldn't blame you if you didn't wanna listen to Chaka. The guy's a real jerk. Glad I haven't been around him all this time."

His cousin shook his head, ignoring Natin. "No, this isn't about who I chose to listen to," Asuma replied. He eyed Natin, who was surprised by the chill that ran through him at that moment. He wondered where it'd come from as Asuma said, "I _actually_ want to talk to _you_."

"Tanga thought you wouldn't listen because I'm a stranger to you now. She thought that you wouldn't feel comfortable opening up to me. Why me then?"

"It's not because I'm looking for you to listen to my woes. It's because you obviously know something that I don't. That's why I'll listen to you."

"And what exactly do you want from me? I've told all there is to tell about why I've come back, haven't I?"

"Why would I ask you about that?"

Natin just shrugged.

Asuma's icy stare continued to unnerve Natin, and he was used to being studied by Kovu- the one thing he didn't miss about being away from his band of misfits and murderers.

"So... you haven't told the whole story. Otherwise, why bring it up?" Asuma went on. Natin tried not to smile at the sight of Asuma as he reasoned out loud. Asuma then added after a moment, "I don't know why you left in the first place."

"_Sure_ you do... Your mother says they told you we were patrolling to make sure no more rogues would threaten the pride." Even as Natin said it, he knew what Asuma's eventual answer would be, or at least he thought he did. "And you know that Chaka didn't like my mother much after what her brother did. What your father did."

"That's cub stuff," Asuma scoffed, to Natin's delight. "Do you really think I'd still believe that? Remember, I was there, just the same as you were, when Rafiki brought Zazu to the den. We both lost our innocence that day. Knowing the possible fact that your mother died a year ago, and nothing else, doesn't answer my questions for the bigger story. I know they're lying to me. I'm not stupid. But I should ask myself: why should I believe what you've told me, too?"

Natin felt himself smirk.

He knew he had Asuma right where he wanted him.

Asuma frowned, raising a brow as he tilted his head. "What? Why are you smiling?"

"I could tell you everything, but I don't think it will make you very happy. Actually, I know it won't. Do you think I'd want to make you unhappy?"

Asuma must have caught on because he said, "Is this what you want from me? You want me to beg you to tell me this something, whatever it is?"

Natin nodded. "Do you want me to tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Natin said plainly: "Your father lives."

Asuma's face went absolutely blank with shock. At first Natin was pleased. He'd accomplished what he had been forbidden to do. Kovu had told him specifically to not make his presence known to his own cubs. But while Natin watched as anger crept into the young lion's face, he began to feel guilty. He waited patiently for Asuma to speak, and he watched as Asuma's expression went from anger to nearly unreadable. What little overall reaction Asuma had startled Natin. He'dexpected his cousin to break down in tears like he had so easily as a young cub, but he did none of that. He just... _stares..._

"Huh?" Asuma finally said, as if in a daze.

"I know this is a lot to take in, but... you were right. They've lied to you, cousin," Natin told him firmly. "He's still alive."

"How... How would you know this?"

"Do you still want me to be up front with you?"

"I would hope so. You probably will anyway." Asuma grimaced. "What's one more liar? You already fit the criteria, being related to me. And so far you're not the most trustworthy."

"I am being truthful now," Natin said, feigning hurt.

"Well I don't have much of a choice to trust you or not. So be up front."

Again, Natin began to wonder if it was a mistake to speak with Asuma, to reveal himself so quickly. But it was too little too late, and he pushed his grief aside as an after thought. He knew how 'having feelings' could get a lion killed. He said, "Since my mother died, I've been living with your father in a pride of rogue lionesses who saved him from the desert lands he'd run to. He's been biding his time, waiting to attack, and he's instructed me to spy on the pride."

Asuma was quite still, obviously brooding and mulling over what Natin was telling him.

"Mom told me what happened the day Kovu left the Pride Lands," Natin spoke up. "She said that Chaka tried to kill your father, but your mother saved him. The alternative was to turn Kovu out for his own good, despite what he'd done, but he took it the wrong way and now he thinks that Kiara betrayed him in favor of Chaka. It's because he's gone crazy. Nala, Kiara, and Vitani agreed to tell you and Tanga that Chaka had been too late to the scene where Kovu was murdered by ro-"

"I never believed that story," Asuma interrupted. He was shaking his head as he glared down at the ground. "I mean... it made sense... at first. I _trusted_ my mother. She took us cubs aside and told us. I don't blame her though, we were so young. But later I got to thinking... about all the stuff that had happened to me... how my father had done nothing to ease my conscious when I thought I was the one responsible for Simba's death... how he wanted to get rid of me because of my stupid nightmares. I haven't had a nightmare in years because of Tswane's herbs, but every once in a while it'll get into my head that I should not take them and see what would happen. I wanted to see if they would tell me something I didn't know. But then I continue taking the herbs. I saw no point in learning more about a dead, cruel lion."

Natin could only sit and listen.

"My own father wanted me dead... you know how terrible that is?" Now the tears were coming. Asuma sniffed and swiped a paw over his nose. He was frowning deeply in apparent embarrassment. His voice cracked as he said, "Because it's really terrible. And I've told nobody about it."

Natin said quietly, "You wanna know something else?"

"What?"

"He killed my mother, his sister... or at least his lionesses did. They attacked us out of nowhere and she told me to separate and hide. When I found her body, Kovu appeared and took me into his care. I could see the conflict in his eyes, but he decided to let me live. I don't know why. Maybe it was to make up for what he did to her. Or else I'm a fool and I truly only am his errand boy and nothing more. You should know, he begged her to help cover up the murder. That's why Chaka disliked her, though she did it because he threatened to hurt me. In the end, she chose to go find him, and the bastard repaid her with death."

Asuma growled softly. "You want him gone just as much as me, is that what you're saying?"

"_You_?"

Asuma took a moment, but he nodded. "You say he is building an army. If he's sent you here to spy, then he must be ready soon." Asuma was shaking his head as he snorted softly. "I want him gone, too."

"No, I couldn't ask you to do that."

"Sure you could!" Asuma spat. "Otherwise you wouldn't have told me about him being alive!"

"Fine, I'll confess," Natin said. "It was my idea to come and 'spy' on the pride. I need help."

"So why didn't you tell Chaka you found Kovu? You've lied to him."

Natin chuckled. "Listen to this: Chaka, when he asked if my mother had found Kovu, I told him that _we_, my mother and I, hadn't found Kovu and that if she had found him, nothing had become of it. Isn't that rich? I didn't really lie."

"So why didn't you tell Chaka you found Kovu?" Asuma repeated. "You could lead us all there."

"Because I wanna keep this quiet. We don't need a war. Kovu'd kill everyone in this pride if he got the chance. And I'm more worried about his lionesses than I am about him."

"Are you saying this is'd be strictly an assassin mission?"

Natin nodded. He then waited for Asuma to ask why he hadn't done Kovu in before, but the question never came. He wondered if Asuma even cared to know.

The lionesses in Kovu's small pride were restless, Natin knew this. The uncertainty he had about their motives was vague at best. Natin hadn't been able to bring himself to take the risk because he doubted they'd be thanking him for removing Kovu and taking his place as their leader. _And that's just it... I don't wanna be their leader..._ he thought. He was younger. He was stronger. He was _far_ less disconnected from reality- everything Kovu wasn't. He could have just done Kovu in during the night, but he'd been afraid they'd hunt him down. He thought if he had help he'd stand a better chance of getting away with the assassination. They desperately wanted a better home, and they firmly had their hearts set on taking over the Pride Lands. If he became their leader, they'd expect a war with the lions at Pride Rock. He wasn't sure how Asuma was going to help him just yet- he'd been expecting to find a much stronger version of Asuma than the one he had in front of him- but he also had never dreamed that he would get that far. Since Kovu had built it up in his head that Chaka would drive him out immediately, Natin was pleased with what he'd accomplished.

_Kovu won't see this coming..._

"But since this is an assassination mission," Natin began, "I need to know that you completely understand what I'm asking of you."

Asuma raised a brow. "Alright."

"You understand that you and me are going to _kill_ don't you?"

Asuma hesitated for a moment. "Yes, I understand," he finally said.

Natin continued. "Do you understand that our target is Kovu, your father?"

Asuma's nod was instant. "I have no father," he answered.

"And you understand we are doing this because he killed Simba and my mother?"

Asuma nodded again. "Don't forget that he wanted to get rid of me, too."

Natin said, "Do you understand that if we don't do this, there will be a war?"

"Yes."

"Do you understand that we can't tell anyone else about this?"

"Yes."

"Do you understand that there is a risk we may not come back?"

This caused some uncertainty to enter Asuma's eyes. "Wait, what about Tanga? I... don't want to tell her, but... shouldn't _somebody_ know? In case something happens to us?"

Natin thought for a moment. _What if we don't come back?_ _What if we fail? Nobody will be here to stop Kovu and the lionesses or take care of the Pride Lands. _Natin long ago had put off the idea that one day he'd be a king. After so long with Kovu and knowing that he had intentions of a deadly war, he had figured he probably wouldn't survive to be king. And it was hard to remember that he was a prince when he was forced to live out in the desert, living off of very little and constantly in fear of dying before the next sunrise. It takes all concentration to gather enough food just to barely survive. Whether they accomplished the mission or not, their deaths would have a greater effect beyond the war.

Asuma, looking rather reluctant, said, "I don't think we can just up and leave."

"They'll try to stop us."

"I know that!" Asuma sighed. "It's just... Look, what if we fail, and there will be nobody to warn them about Kovu's attack? And what will my mother think? And Chaka will know that it's your fault if we're both missing. I hate to say it... but we have to tell _somebody._"

"Tswane?" Natin suggested.

This seemed to please Asuma. The lighter-furred lion nodded.

"If you think we can trust him, of course, Asuma."

"We don't have much of a choice, now do we," Asuma replied. "Chaka will still be unhappy, but at least Tswane if necessary can tell him what we're doing and prepare him for a war if it comes to the Pride Lands. It'll hopefully keep Chaka from coming after us."

But as he began to think, Natin was looking at Asuma through different eyes. Although Asuma was lacking right then the muscle power that would be needed to confront Kovu, he had smartened up since they were young cubs together. Asuma had been intelligent as a young cub, but just how perceptive Asuma was amazed Natin. Not only that, but Asuma was just as determined to get rid of Kovu as he was.

_Perhaps his determination is a little more intense than mine even..._ he thought, feeling that chill again.

"We'll tell Tswane then," Asuma confirmed. "I think we should leave as soon as possible before Chaka figures it out."

"Will you tell Tanga?"

His cousin considered this for a moment. He shook his head in the end. "No."

Natin grinned. "Then it's settled, partner." He started to head back towards Tswane's tree.

"Hey, Natin?"

"Yeah?"

Asuma was walking at his side. Natin glanced at his cousin and cocked an eyebrow to the younger lion's expression of relief, and of all things, gratitude. He wasn't sure if he liked that. But then again, he couldn't do this alone.

"I... I'm... I'm thankful to you, Natin," Asuma said quietly. "I think we're helping each other out."

Natin felt daring enough when he said, "How so?"

"All this time I've been miserable, and it's all because of Kovu," Asuma said. "This is finally going to stop, and in the end I'll be able to move on. I need this more than I need someone to play therapist."

Natin smiled because he thought it would be appropriate. "I'd sooner die than let you continue to be miserable like this," he said earnestly, despite the gnawing feeling of the cringe he was suppressing. _I barely know what I'm doing, and now I've dragged Asuma into this... will it be worth it?_ he thought before he added, "And I'd give up my life rather than let Kovu continue down the path of destruction he's on. We'll stop him. Just you wait."

_Now... time to get planning..._

* * *

**Wow... this took me a lot longer to write than I thought it was going to. But I hope it was worth it. I can't promise the next update won't take some time due to the little amount of pre-writing that I've done, but I'll do my best- and a few reviews wouldn't hurt, either. I know, I'm lazy, too, but I'd be grateful for some more positive feedback. c:**


	25. Departure

I'm very happy with this chapter, especially after spending most of this weekend polishing it up for Labor Day, so I hope you guys like it. It's 14 pages in a Word document. Also, I have to give a shout out to AtomicIceCream of deviantART for beta reading this.

Remember to leave a review, please! I worked super-duper hard on this one!

This is the last chapter in part 2.

"Chaka, please calm down..."

Kiara watched anxiously as her brother paced the length of the den. The other lionesses were watching from the inner ledges of the den. They fidgeted nervously as Chaka growled, "Know what I think happened? Natin's taken them someplace. I didn't listen to my gut. He lied to us through his teeth, Kiara, and we ate it up! Do you know how _much_ that upsets me?"

Kiara pulled a face. _It's nearly sunrise, and they didn't return in the evening. Did they actually run away from home?_

Kiara vaguely remembered seeing Natin and Asuma returning very late the previous night but hadn't seen them since. She had sent Tanga on an errand to Tswane's tree to pick up Asuma's special herbs. True to her word to Suki, she had suggested to an eager Neo and Isabis to chase after Tanga so they could go with her. She had watched from afar as Tanga had looked upset, but had left with the cubs. Somehow, Asuma's herbs had turned up, but Tanga had not.

"Bet Vitani isn't even dead. Natin- he has to be in with Kovu!" Chaka was shaking his head bitterly. "He's his mother's son."

"Stop this, Chaka. Use this energy instead to think out our next move." Kiara sighed. "It's not like them at all to do this to us, and we should have started searching once we realized that."

"They don't want to be found," muttered Chaka.

"Kiara!"

The tired queen turned to see Suki as she climbed down from the ledge with Neo and Isabis right behind her. Stopping in front of Kiara, Suki said, "My cubs have something to say to you." At this, the young mother looked sternly down at her cubs.

Both cubs lowered their ears and avoided her impatient gaze.

"Tell Queen Kiara what you told me. The game is over."

"What game?" Kiara asked, narrowing her eyes.

Suki started to explain when they remained mute. "I was wondering why they were so quite today, and when I asked them why just now, they told me Tanga taught them to play a game of silence while she watched them yesterday afternoon. Kiara, my children were the last to see the princess and princes.

Chaka's presence near Kiara made her uncomfortable when he came to listen. She said, "How do you know they were the last to see them?"

"They watched her leave. Tswane brought them home."

Chaka growled and towered over Isabis and Neo when he said sharply, "What do you two have to say? Obviously this is very important. Give me details."

The cubs stared nervously at each other before Neo nodded to his sister.

"Well... When we got to Tswane's big tree, we saw Natin talkin' with Asuma- they were already there, y'see?" Isabis spoke up. "Tanga wanted us to stay behind and hide so she could go spy on her brother and Natin. I wanted to go, but she told me to stay. I don't think they saw her, she was so sneaky. Then, uh, we saw Tswane come down from his huge tree that Tanga didn't want me to climb to talk to Natin and Asuma for a little while. They left really fast after that, and Tswane was wavin' to them like he was sayin' good-bye... like for a _long_ good-bye. Tanga came back for us, and she looked _really_ worried. She said we were gonna sit there for a while, so we waited for a while, like she said, before she-she-she, uh... well, she brought us closer to the tree and asked Tswane to get Asuma's herbs for her. While he was up in the tree, she told us to stay with Tswane so he could bring us back home, which he did, and to keep playing our game, our game of silence, for as long as possible. Then Tanga ran off in the direction of where Natin and Asuma went... I think. And Tswane brought us home, like I said, with the herbs.

"Are we in trouble? Be-be-because Tswane was acting weird, but he didn't tell us anything even though Neo asked, and then I won the game and started a new game," Isabis finished.

"No," Chaka said, his tone gentle enough, "you're not in trouble. Thank you for telling us this."

Neo asked, "Is Tswane in trouble because we told you?"

Chaka shook his head.

The cubs beamed up at Chaka, but one glare for their mother wiped the smiles away. Suki told her cubs the adults needed privacy. "I'm sorry, I didn't know sooner," Suki said, her ears pinned against her skull. "Is there anything I can do? ...There must be something..."

Kiara nodded. "We'll need to rally tracking parties. Could you organize the lionesses, Suki? Tell our best trackers what we'll be doing. Natin and my children must be far away by now, but we must try. I'll go and see Tswane about this."

"Yes, my queen, I'll do my best."

Through his clenched teeth, once Suki had walked away, Chaka snarled to Kiara under his breath, "Your cubs have never gotten a proper beating in their lives. They'll wish they'd stayed at home..."

Kiara had opened her mouth to defend her children, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything. She was just as angry at herself and Natin as Chaka was. _ What was Natin up to exactly? Is he really an agent for Kovu or even his mother? And if he is, what plans does he have for Tanga and Asuma?"_

"Aren't you coming, Kiara?"

She was snapped from her thoughts by Chaka, who was frowning over his shoulder at her. He was beginning to walk toward the mouth of the cave.

Kiara looked around. The lionesses weren't ready yet.

"You are planning on going to Tswane's tree soon, right?" Chaka asked her.

"I was hoping to do it alone," Kiara replied irritably, walking over to him, "but if he knows anything you might as well hear it, too, the first time."

"Let's go then. Those lionesses can handle themselves. Suki'll keep them in line."

Kiara was a little unsure of putting the meek Suki totally in charge, but when she looked over her shoulder it seemed like Suki was doing perfectly. The lionesses were already split into several small groups, each headed by one lioness with better tracking skills than the rest. Kiara smiled approvingly.

"Okay, let's go," she agreed. _Maybe there's more to Suki than I thought. All she needs is a little encouragement._

At first Chaka had kept a fair pace, but before long Kiara was struggling for breath and falling behind. She was lightheaded when she arrived to find Chaka yelling up at the branches of Tswane's tree to get the young mandrill's attention.

'Tswane! Tswane, don't hide from your king!" Chaka roared and paced in circles, kicking up dust. When Tswane didn't appear immediately, he leaped up onto the tree trunk and started to attempt to climb it.

"Cha...Cha...Chaka! Get... down from there!" Kiara panted. "It... Not helpful..."

He only climbed higher. "Tswane, where are Asuma and Natin?"

"Get off my tree and I'll tell you!"

Kiara squinted, but she couldn't see the mandrill yet. It was too dark. "Chaka get down!"

"I'll do as I please!" Chaka reached to pull himself up farther. With a grunt, he slipped a few lengths, only to go on with more determination.

"He doesn't want you to rip his head off, if that's what you please!" Kiara rolled her eyes and grimaced. Her brother was acting like a hot-tempered, spoiled cub. "He'll come out of hiding when you start acting reasonable again. It's too high for you to climb, you'll hurt yourself."

"Do as Queen Kiara says! It would not bother me one bit to throw sticks and rocks at you!" Tswane's voice warned.

"Fine." Chaka's muscles shuddered before he leaped back from the scarred-up old tree. He continued to pace below, a growl rumbling in his throat. "I'm on the ground now!"

Tswane poked his head out and looked down at them to see if it were true. "I'll stay up here, if you don't mind. Lions tend to be ill-tempered when they hear worse news."

"Worse news?" Kiara frowned. "Please, tell us where my cubs and Natin have gone? Isabis and Neo couldn't tell us why they left."

"And if you lie, so help me-"

"Is that anyway to treat your pride's shaman, Chaka?" Tswane shook Rafiki's old walking stick at the big lion. "Without my mentor and I, you wouldn't even be here."

Chaka only snarled.

"Where are they, Tswane?" Kiara urged.

"Right..." Tswane took a moment to collect his thoughts. "The two princes have left on their own because they needed the time to get away from the Pride Lands," Tswane told them. "Because you are reacting _exactly_ as they thought you would."

Chaka growled through his teeth, "Where are they? Why the secrecy? Why would I need to 'react'?"

Kiara held her breath as Tswane said, "They have gone to confront Kovu."

Tswane ducked and covered his ears with his paws while Kiara flinched at Chaka's roar.

"I knew it! And you!"

"Chaka..." Kiara gasped and back-stepped away from her brother as he turned on her and started advancing. She felt the blood rush from her face. When Zira had taken her over the side of the cliff she hadn't been as scared as she was just then. She was already afraid for her cubs and the situation she thought they were in, and it didn't help at all when the thought occured to her that Chaka might not hesitate to harm her. She had to remind herself how he'd been raised in a different pride than her and had lived the life of a rogue. Memories of his attack on Kovu years before also flashed in her mind. _And Mother isn't here to keep you in check..._

Chaka bumped his nose into hers. "You were the one who sent that mate of yours into exile. I lost an eye because of him. Now he's coming for us."

"We don't know that, Chaka." Kiara glared back, though she was shaking.

"Okay, then," Chaka sneered. He turned away and tilted his head up towards Tswane, who was perched out in the open with his staff at the ready in case he had to intervene. He came to attention as Chaka addressed him. "Start from the beginning, monkey. What's coming?"

"Kovu has been living in exile with a band of restless lionesses who took him into their pride. They have an agreement: they will be allowed to live in the Pride Lands once Kovu has beaten you, Chaka. Natin convinced Kovu to let him come home under the assumption that the prince would spy on the pride. Natin told your son that Kovu was a threat to us all, and was able to recruit the prince into confronting Kovu on his own territory."

Kiara gasped. "What do you mean? Confronting?" Her face flushed with anger. _What was Natin thinking?_

"I'm fuzzy on the details... but..." Tswane paused. "It may mean exterminating Kovu completely, as that is the feeling I had when they spoke. They made it clear to me they wanted somebody to know what happened in the event they were unable to return. They would've left a day ago, but I was away from home taking care of some sick little ones in a herd of elephants. They couldn't find me and waited for my return this morning."

_That's why they returned so late..._ Kiara's legs felt weak, and she swayed. "My son... It's a suicide mission, isn't it? For the pride?"

But Chaka was growling. To her, he sneered, "Don't you see the problem with Natin's master 'plan'? Why does he need Asuma to kill Kovu, if that is their intention? Why didn't he do it before instead of making a mess of things?"

Kiara felt her jaw go slack. "I... I don't know..." Her blood rushed away from her face. "Maybe he was too scared to do it himself? Kovu's lion-"

"And Asuma is going to help him... how? I don't mean to be blunt, Kiara, but you must know by now how I fear for this pride when it's his time to take our place. Your son is a miserable coward, and he's been like that since the day I saved him from those wild dogs. How can those qualities make for a good king?"

Kiara raised a paw to strike her so-called brother but she stopped herself when he growled and Tswane called her name prevent her from acting in a way that she would come to regret later. She curled her lip at Chaka. "How _dare_ you speak to _me_ like that, Chaka. And you know how much Kovu's actions impacted him, the things he did to our own flesh and blood! It traumatized him!"

Chaka's whole body tensed. "Do you think you're such a good mother yourself?" he retorted scathingly. "Did I not advise you to tell your cubs everything? But instead, you turned a deaf ear, and now look at where we are! You let someone else tell Asuma the truth, and I'm sure Tanga knows by know if she met up with them. We should have acted. _You_ should have told them the truth. That's probably half of Asuma's problem, and I don't think he'll ever be well again, especially after this!"

Kiara's breath caught inside of her chest, her heart thundering in her ears. Chaka stood there, glaring at her for several minutes more before he stalked past her and took off running.

She was hardly aware of Tswane's presence next to her, and didn't notice he'd placed his paw on her shoulder until he'd said her name several times.

"His words have hurt you."

Her eyes stung. Nodding, she said, "I wasn't surprised at all, but it still hurts."

Tswane patted her shoulder.

"He's right. I've failed at being a mother, and now I'm never going to see my cubs again." She then flinched and looked Tswane in the face. "And Tanga? Isabis... Neo... They said she ran after my son and nephew, and left them with you to take them home."

"Ah, I see." Tswane scratched his head. "I saw her running in that direction."

Kiara frowned. She did her best to keep the disapproval out of her voice, but it was pointless. "And you didn't stop my daughter?"

"Your son and nephew are planning to put blood on their paws. I felt Tanga would be able to convince them and Kovu to change their plans. Natin and Asuma have already accepted her presence, otherwise she would be here right now to explain herself. She wouldn't waste her time looking if she couldn't track them."

Kiara did her best to register what Tswane was saying. She was scared out of her mind for her children, and she dreaded seeing Chaka later and dealing with his frustration. She was sure he was back at the den by now stirring everybody up. _This is all my fault... I shouldn't have sent Kovu into exile. There's going to be a war if Kovu keeps his plans... or remains alive._ She shuddered at this._ And what about the lionesses who took him in? What will happen to them if Natina and Asuma succeed, and just how dangerous are they?_

"Haven't you heard anything from the spirits?" Kiara asked then.

The mandrill shook his head and turned his face up to the sky, which was beginning to pale to the east. "They are silent. These times make me wonder what Rafiki would do if he were still here." The young mandrill's shoulders drooped a little. "I'm uncertain if I've made the right choices."

Kiara lowered her ears. She was upset with him for enabling such young lions to take on a task for the sake of the pride that she wouldn't even ask of herself, but they had also gone to Tswane and put him into a terribly tricky position. She sighed. "Nobody is perfect, Tswane," she told him, trying to smile.

Tswane smiled back. "Thank you, my Queen."

Kiara nodded and tried to hold the smile for a little longer. But soon, more tears than before welled up in her eyes. Her smile turned into a grimace and the tears spilled down her cheeks. A sob choked her. Tswane quickly wrapped his arms around the grieving lioness, patting her back. She waited for him to give her some words of encouragement, but they both must have known that merely listening to someone's words would solve nothing if the meaning behind them wasn't believable.

MMMMMMMMMMMM

_ "Tanga! Tanga! Wait for us! Hey, wait!"_

_ The young lioness had cringed and looked over her shoulder to see Isabis and Neo run up to her. Sent to take care of her mother's errand, she hadn't left from Pride Rock fast enough._

_ "Does your mother know where you are?" she'd asked the young cubs._

_ "Sure, your mother said we should follow you!" Isabis had piped happily as she spun in circles. "Look, she's up there on Pride Rock with your mother right now."_

_ Sure enough, the two lionesses had been standing at the tip of Pride Rock, at a safe distance. Tanga had felt cheated then, and was tempted to tell the cubs no. She'd flicked her tail in irritation, wondering what to do._

_ "Is it okay if we go with you, Tanga?" Neo had asked, tilting his head to the side. "I've never seen Tswane's tree before. Is it big?"_

_ Tanga had sighed. "Yes, it's very big, Neo..."_

_ "Cool! Please? Can we go? Oh, can we go with you? Tanga, please?"_

_ "Yes, please, Tanga?"_

_ The day before, as Tanga had recalled, her mother had asked her to spend some time with Neo. Kiara had wanted her daughter to find a way to boost his confidence, as a favor to Suki. With the cubs practically forced upon her, she couldn't just say no to one of the cubs and leave the other behind. Neo didn't deserve to be punished and neglected only because the thought of spending time with his sister, and best friend, made her skin crawl. Both would have to go with her to Tswane's if she wanted to help Neo. She'd hoped that the next time Isabis could be left behind._

_ Tanga had again looked up at Pride Rock. Suki and her mother had disappeared from view, and had probably moved into the den to wait out the rest of the morning. Thoughtful, she'd guessed they'd had a great amount of confidence in her that she'd do as she'd been told, and soon after, she'd realized they were dropping Neo's 'problems' into her lap. Her stomach had begun to hurt then, and the more she'd lingered on the thought, the more it had bothered her how her mother had been more concerned about someone else's cub... when Asuma needed the support from their neglectful pride... a pride she'd guessed had fears that little Neo would end up like Asuma, who's temperament had been similar to Neo's when he was younger. She likened Asuma then to a cautionary tale, and she also guessed that Suki was trying to intervene early before Neo became a problem, too. He was going to be brother to Asuma's future queen, after all._

_ "Tanga...? We don't have to go if you don't wanna take us along..."_

_ "No, why wouldn't she want to, silly?"_

_ Tanga remembered that she'd tried hard to not make a face. She had turned her attention to the cubs and found them looking up at her with eager, hopeful looks on their faces. She'd deeply considered refusing to take them in order to send a message to her mother and Suki, but she softened when she remembered fondly how she'd asked her father so many times to go hunting, only to have her hopes dashed again and again. She had thought then how much it'd mattered to her to spend time with her father, and she'd known how much she was adored by Neo and Isabis. Because of this, she'd said yes._

She also remembered thinking, even as Isabis refused to listen to her that climbing Tswane's tree was too dangerous, while also being called a scaredy-cub, the main reason why she'd gotten the idea to play a game of silence with them, that she only had to deal with them to Tswane's tree and back. It was going to be simple enough...

_ Little had I known..._ she thought to herself, her limbs aching from lack of rest for an entire day. _But now I need answers..._

_Why would they say that Daddy was still alive?_

_Why has Daddy been away all this time if he really is alive?_

_ Why did Mother and Chaka say he was killed by rogues?_

_ Why did Asuma and Natin sneak off alone like this?_

_ Is this why Natin said he was forbidden to talk with Asuma?_

Jogging along on some of the flatest, scabbiest land she'd ever come across, Tanga snarled softly under her breath and vigorously shook her stinging paw. With only a quick glance at first, she tried to find the thorn stuck between her toes, but it was too dark to see it. The thorn had first begun to bother her a few miles back. Groaning, she had no choice but to stop and chew at her paw. She couldn't afford to lose ground because of a little _thorn_. _They can't be far off now_, she thought. She didn't want to waste more time than necessary, because the harder she pressed on, the stronger and fresher their scents and paw prints were becoming. Thankfully, without much difficulty, she was able to quickly pull the thorn out of her sore paw. She spit it onto the ground in triumph.

Yes, little had she known what would come out of a simple trip to Tswane's tree for Asuma's herbs.

Her nose was to the ground, her jaws parted. She knew they were somewhere nearby. As she started off again, she also noticed how the impressions from their paws were growing sloppier, as if they were dragging their paws. _Not long now... they haven't even stopped to go to the bathroom!_ _They have to rest sometime._ Surely enough, she delighted in finding them less than a mile away. Asuma was sitting upright with his head drooping forward while Natin was sleeping partially on his back.

As she snuck up on them quietly at first, she tried not snicker at the sight.

_Am I the only one who knows where you guys are right now besides Tswane?_

She was a few good lengths away when Asuma's head snapped up. He looked around furiously for the intruder, growling to wake up Natin, before they spotted her. She limped up to them, smiling tiredly.

"You!" Asuma growled.

The unfriendliness in his voice startled her. "Yes, it's me, who'd you expect?"

"Why- What-?" Asuma continued to stammer.

"Tanga, you should have stayed home," Natin said sternly, frowning in disapproval.

She raised a brow. "Why would I stay home? I heard what you said to Tswane." She watched as their eyes widened. She smirked as she said, "Tell me everything. Why is Father still alive and where are you going?"

Asuma was shaking his head. "It's a lot more complicated than that. Really, how much did you hear?"

"Well, suppose I heard all of it, then what?"

"Then nothing," Asuma snapped.

Saying nothing at first, Natin looked over his shoulder at her brother. Again, Asuma was shaking his head when Natin turned to her and said, "Tanga, go home. I can't give you those answers, not now."

"Why not? And do they know you're gone? Where you're going? They don't, do they?"

"Tswane knows, but he's it, and it's going to stay that way when you go home."

Tanga frowned at her brother. Now he was standing in front of her, and despite the shadowy appearance of his face, she could guess he was glaring at her.

"Look," he continued. "I just want to keep you safe. It would be better if you went back home. You had no business following us like this. Just listen to me for once."

"And is this about the time when Natin tackles me to the ground?"

"What?"

She thought for a moment before she glared at Asuma. "This has to do with the day you two were acting weird. I have a feeling it does! You didn't want me to know something, and I didn't understand why. I remember now... and then Mother told us that Father was dead, but you two know that he's really alive. Why is that? I thought you were trying to protect me from hearing the news about his death before Mother had a chance to explain it, b-b-but she lied to us, didn't she?" When Asuma's expression only grew harsher, she spat, "Didn't she!" Her body was trembling. "Why would she wanna lie to us, Asuma?"

Neither of them spoke for the longest time. Natin had a troubled look on his face. Tanga tried to calm down, but the longer they took to respond, her agitation increased.

"Coming with us or not, Asuma, she deserves to-"

"No. No."

"At least tell me why you left the Pride Lands," she begged.

"No. We can't do that either."

Her face was burning. "I'll make Mother tell me why she lied... I'd much rather hear it from you, though. You wouldn't lie to me... would you?"

Asuma flinched. "I've been lying to you all this time, Tanga! I was forbidden to tell you, and I'll keep it that way."

"But I'm still gonna follow you."

"You'll slow us down, and we can't take you with us. I _guarantee_ you there will be danger."

"She'll slow us down no matter what," Natin grumbled. "What are we gonna do? Drag her back home? Unconscious? That'll take too much time. She's already come this far."

Asuma railed on Natin. "Why are you so eager to bring her with us, hmmm? Do you want to endanger her life?"

Natin frowned deeply. "Asuma, she's still the same ol' Tanga. Do you expect any less out of her?" He then came closer to Asuma and started whispering something that was too quick and low for her to catch, though she took a couple steps forward and cocked her ears. Asuma's responses were the same way.

"Tanga?"

She straightened up when they turned back to her. "Yes?"

Asuma looked unhappy as Natin said, "We're going to tell you why we've left the Pride Lands, and everything else, but you have to promise to go back home once we've told you."

Tanga grimaced. "Must I?"

Natin nodded. "It's for your own protection, _Lewa."_

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, I promise."

She could never have prepared herself for what they told her. That her father had been the one responsible for Simba's death... that he had killed once and had been so easily prepared to take more lives after... that he had become so lost and disillusioned and was now preparing to do it all again because he _thought_ he was doing it for his family. She was silent until the end.

"I don't believe you."

Natin shrugged and shook his head. "But... given your father's past-"

"He changed for Mother!"

"Face it Tanga," Asuma spat. "He's not who you think he is. He fooled us. Don't you remember how distant he was the day we went hunting by ourselves? He must have already been in contact with Zira. And if what Vitani told Natin is accurate, then he was already up to something."

"Well... what if Vitani was lying, too?"

Natin snarled, his lip twitching. "My mother would never lie."

Tanga glared back. "You said she helped him, didn't you?"

Natin opened his mouth, the dark expression on his face frightening her. Asuma intervened before he had the chance to say anything.

"Look! We don't know what they were all thinking, and we can't know because everybody immediately involved _but_ Kovu has died!"

"You know," Tanga remarked, "you keep calling him 'Kovu' instead of 'Father'."

"Well would you call a lion who wanted you dead 'Father'?"

Tanga flinched and said nothing.

"Point is," Natin began, his tone shrill and uneasy, "Kovu is dangerous and needs to be stopped. Asuma and I are going to do it."

"Do what? Just how are you going to stop him?"

A chill ran down her spine when they hesitated to answer her. The answer should have been quicker, she knew that much. Natin said to her, "We're going to try and negotiate."

She swallowed. "I don't believe you..."

Neither of them answered her again. Natin's expression softened and his ears lowered. Asuma glared down at the ground.

Her courage drained from her body. "Please tell me you're not planning..."

For several beats, they both stared at the ground like guilty cubs. Natin glanced at Asuma as he quietly said, "Catches on quick, don't she?"

Tanga flinched.

"Stop that, Natin," Asuma snapped. "Don't joke now."

"Just stating a fact."

"Well, if it's any consolation... I believe you two are incapable of doing... that."

"Whether you believe we're incapable or not," Asuma retorted, his jaw tensing up, "we're the only ones who can do it."

She hated the way her brother was glaring at her, like he thought she was too thick-headed for her own good. But they were the ones who were being thick-headed, and she was half-tempted to try smacking some sense into them. Sure, they had already told her that her father's lionesses were dangerous and that the pride would be wiped out if it all narrowed down to a battle, but was Kovu's murder the only answer?

"And now the both of you expect me to just turn around... and hope you come back home?" Her sight blurred.

Slowly, Natin nodded. "Yes... that's basically it."

Miserably, she frowned down at her paws, a deep crinkle between her eyes.

"This is why we wanted to protect you, _Lewa_."

She sniffed softly and blinked hard to try and contain her tears. _I shouldn't have asked for the truth._

Asuma cleared his throat. "It's going to be light soon, we should keep moving."

"We're about a hard day's run from Kovu, but it would be pointless for us to start now," Natin replied quietly. "We should rest a little longer."

"If we fall asleep, we're waking up sore."

"Think of your sister, Asuma."

Tanga looked up at them. Natin didn't look happy, but she heard the reasoning in his voice.

"She needs to rest, and so do we. We'll be exhausted if we keep up this pace," Natin told Asuma. "Not to mention you _need_ me as your guide, and I'm not moving."

Asuma said nothing, but curled his lip at Natin's remark.

"C'mon, aren't you tired? And look at Tanga."

Asuma eyed her and after a moment he nodded once reluctantly. "Fine. We'll rest."

Tanga watched as Asuma muttered he'd take the first shift as sentry again and went off a few lengths. Natin was watching over his shoulder as well when she told him thank you.

He nodded curtly as he hunkered down. "Best try and get as much sleep as possible."

"I don't know how I'm gonna fall asleep," she whispered as she did the same. She was about a tail length away from Natin.

"Will you be alright, heading back to the Pride Lands on your own?"

"Well, it would be rude of me to ask you to bring me home, wouldn't it?" she said, putting her chin on her paws. "I'd only be prolonging the inevitable."

Natin's face pinched into a grimace. "I know you don't understand what-"

"Please don't explain it to me, again, Natin," she stopped him, closing her eyes. "I guess it's just too complicated for me to understand."

She rolled away so her back was turned on him. If he had any reaction, she didn't hear it or see it.

MMMMMMMMMMMM

_ Maybe it's me who'll find Simba's killer, to make him pay for what he's done? I don't see how anyone could be so cruel. Grandfather never hurt anyone."_

_ "Revenge is never the answer, Asuma. It only hurts more than the initial act did."_

_ "But... but there's gotta be justice... He's a _murderer_, isn't he? Murder is the worst..."_

He hadn't fallen asleep so quickly in moons. On sentry duty, he was too exhausted to stay awake. After years of nightly doses of Tswane's herbs, he fell straight into a nightmare. He could have asked Tswane to give him herbs to travel with... but he hadn't.

When he first became aware of himself in the dream, he was chasing after a rogue, who was trying to move along quickly as he dragged along a heavy body in the slick mud. The mud squished between Asuma's claws as he struggled for traction. He couldn't tell yet who the rogue was due to the shadowy nature of the fiend... but he had an idea. Beyond the hard rainfall, he could smell blood.

"Please, show me mercy!" the rogue cried out. A crack of thunder sounded overhead. "P-please?"

Asuma was only a few steps away from getting a clear look at the rogue's shadowy face. "Why? _You_ weren't gonna show _me_ mercy. You left me to die!" he yelled back.

Suddenly, the shadows lifted and Asuma could see Kovu's face clearly. He could also see the body. Asuma jumped back at the sight of his grandfather, mangled and gray at Kovu's paws. He gagged and fought hard not to vomit, a shiver jarring his body. He turned his face away, but he could still clearly smell the rank stench of rotting flesh.

"I couldn't let you give me away," Kovu sneered.

Asuma dared to look back.

Kovu's eyes flashed about him, and he was jumpy. He didn't give Asuma more than a few seconds of eye contact as he added, "You would've been the death of me."

"But I was just a cub! These are just dreams!"

Kovu laughed, his face contorting. Asuma grimaced at the sight of the dark-furred lion. He was something else. "Just _dreams?"_ Kovu paused to laugh again. "You know there must be more to these repeating dreams."

Asuma glared hard a Kovu, his face pinched. "I hate you!" he cried. "When I needed you most... an-and then you went and did _this!"_ He couldn't make himself look directly at his grandfather. "I hate you for what you did to me!"

Kovu was smirking. "But is all of that worth killing me...? You won't do it."

Asuma's whole body was burning, his vision blurred. "You'll see. I'll make sure that you're gone for good. For Mother, for Grandfather and Grandmother, for Vitani, for Tanga, and for Zazu."

"And for you, too? And Natin?"

"I hate you..." Asuma hissed. "You'll see."

"That'll be the day." Kovu smiled and bent down to start dragging Simba again.

Asuma didn't stop him, only turning his head away in disgust.

"Asuma! Asuma!"

He was jerked out of his sleep. Squinty-eyed and tense, he looked up at Natin, who had been shaking him awake.

"They're coming, Tanga needs to move. Now."

It was midday. "What do you mean, Natin?" he grumbled.

"While you were sleeping," Natin growled, then quickly explained, "I smelled them this morning and went ahead to scout. Your father and his lionesses are coming this way. They're on the move to the Pride Lands."

Asuma looked over at his sister. She was still sleeping soundly.

"We don't have much time then, do we?"

Natin shook his head. He walked over to Tanga and nudged her shoulder with his muzzle. Her eyes slowly opened.

"What are you doing?" she muttered. "Stop that."

Asuma frowned. He knew Tanga must have been exhausted from chasing them, but the dullness in her green eyes worried him. He felt a pain in his stomach, which had been happening frequently since Natin had first returned to the Pride Lands.

"Are you feeling alright, _Lewa?"_ Natin held his nose to her cheek.

"Hmmm? I feel fine," Tanga insisted as she pushed herself to sit upright. They both noticed how she'd flinched and raised one of her paws.

Natin sighed in frustration. "You're warm. And I wanna see you put weight on that paw of yours."

She barely pressed on her paw before she gasped in pain and lifted it again. "I pulled out a thorn not long before I found you. Part of it must still be in my paw. It hurts so much!"

"Stay here a moment." Natin bumped into Asuma with his shoulder. "You, now."

They went out of earshot from Tanga. Natin looked worriedly at the young lioness as he whispered, "I don't think we can leave her behind."

Asuma growled. "What's the alternative? Bring her to a dangerous killer?"

"I don't like it at all, but what choice do we have? She's sick, and she can't run away. Kovu and his lionesses are going to realize we're here any moment now, and his head lioness is going to come for us. The others have never passed up a chance to chase a sick animal."

"Why are they on the move anyway?"

Natin was shaking his head in irritation. "They must have gotten sick of waiting for me to return. With or without me, Kovu said he would return to the Pride Lands."

Asuma looked over at Tanga once more. She was lying down now as she licked her paw, wincing when her tongue ran over the tender spot. As much as he hated it, he knew he couldn't just abandon her. "She won't last out here on her own, will she?"

Natin shook his head. "No."

Asuma grimaced. "Fine, we'll bring her with us. How far away is Kovu now?"

"Not too far." Natin's nostrils flared and he looked over across the plains. "I can just see them coming over there. I'll go meet them."

Natin took off without another word. Asuma squinted in the direction Natin had been looking, and sure enough he could see twenty or so lions walking towards them. They all looked like lionesses, and he tried to see Kovu but couldn't. After a moment, he gave up and walked over to Tanga.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I'm getting in the way, aren't I?"

Asuma bit his lip and watched as Tanga paused to shiver before she went back to cleaning her paw. "Everything is going to be fine," he told her.

"You know... I was going to honor my promise, but now I can't. I don't like what you're... going to do."

Asuma didn't know how to respond. _This is exactly why we told Tswane instead of you,_ he thought. _We don't need a complication like this._

"I'm sorry I followed you, Asuma."

"Don't worry about it." Asuma laid down next to her. "Here, let me look?"

"I can't see anything. It must be infected."

To himself, Asuma grimaced as he helped clean her wound. He hoped for all their sake her injury would heal quickly. He didn't like how much trouble they were getting into already... and they hadn't even met Kovu yet.

"What do you think he's gonna be like, Asuma?"

Asuma did his best to keep his face impassive as he said, "I don't know Tanga. We'll have to wait and see."

_Upset Author's Note_

_Oh boy, I can't believe it took over a month to write 6,600 words in a chapter that's not only written at a professional level on a fan-fiction site where most people never see a story finished (I fully intend to finish this one), but is also written by a human being, not a robot. Weeee!_

_Getting that out of my system, I really do hope you're still enjoying this free entertainment that I created! I now have 25 people who have this in their favorites, so thank you guys! Now, asking me to update soon is fine, but I already know you guys like it, and I'm not going to forget to update as quickly as possible. And demands upon me do not count as a review, no matter how much you like it, especially when I cannot reply to you at all. 'ON HIATUS' does not mean weekly updates. Regardless, there is PLENTY of other stuff to review. So please, no more of those, okay? I was being snarky on purpose, and I'm normally not like that. kaithnxbaidonthurtme… XD_


	26. Unknown to You and Me

**Le gasp! ****TWO**** updates in one month? It's a miracle!**

**Anyway, here's the latest chapter! It's about 1/3 the length of the last freakishly long one, but it's still important. (For organization purposes, it's not as long.) It's also the start to part three! Enjoy! **

_Also, if you review, may I ask your opinion on the impact of this story so far, as in are the relationships between the characters (both actual (how much they love/hate each other), and "philosophically" (as in how they reflect/contrast on each other)) effective? This story does have a point to it, however long it is. I've heard from a few people that I'm doing my job right, I just want to make sure the rest of you have "got it". I know these newer chapters are putting the first early ones to shame. :3_

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Part 3

Tired, Tanga squinted at the three, hearty-looking lionesses who followed closely behind Natin.

Something about the scene made her chuckle. To her extra amusement, her chuckle earned her an uncertain glance from Asuma, though he said nothing to her about it. Whether or not she was delirious, she guessed it was because they reminded her of the flies that would hang around her head on hot days. They would incessantly buzz in her ears and sip the moisture from her nose and eyes.

She also guessed it was in part due to their bouncy, light steps and dark, scruffy pelts. _Not to mention that scowl on Natin's face._

She didn't catch what Asuma muttered under his breath as he stood and moved to provide somewhat of a barrier between her and them.

"Are you satisfied?" Natin frowned at one of the lionesses. "My cousins are no threat to you. Now bring Kovu here to meet them."

There were several more lionesses who had shadowed after Natin as well, but they were lingering much farther behind him. Squinting again, Tanga could tell they were talking closely with each other as they flashed uncertain glares at her and Asuma. From the way Natin was talking, she assumed her father and the rest of the band of rogues would be along shortly once word was sent back to him that there were no tricks. She could see them a ways off, but it was difficult for her to tell one lion from another.

"Is the one named Chaka dead?" questioned one lioness.

"No, he's not," Natin muttered, stopping a few lengths in front of Asuma.

Tanga noticed that Asuma's mouth and paws were twitching.

The same lioness looked Asuma up and down. She then cocked her head to the side. "Did you kidnap him?"

"No, if you're gonna eavesdrop, do it right. This is Kovu's son, like I told him."

"He's too skinny either way."

Another one huffed. "Did you just say that Chaka _isn't_ dead? Why?"

The first lioness frowned deeply. "Hey, Kovu promised you'd do it."

"Well, he promised no such thing. You've let your weak imaginations get away from you."

"We were prom-"

"Last time I checked, I don't answer to you, now do I?"

Tanga couldn't help but gasp when Natin quickly lunged at a lioness. To her further surprise, without hesitation the lioness rolled over to show her pale, heavily-scarred belly. The others skittered backwards and growled at him in protest. The lioness on the ground curled up like a cub and snarled at Natin.

"What's keeping Kovu?" Natin demanded, his tail lashing back and forth. "Find him!"

"Chaka's still alive," they heard the lioness mutter roughly as she struggled to her paws, her groaning pridesisters dispersing to find their suspicious leader.

Tanga swallowed hard and felt her brow furrow. "Natin? Why would they say that?" she asked him cautiously as they waited together. Her hot, sore body shuddered at the idea of finally seeing her father.

Natin hadn't stopped frowning, and his expression only deepened. "Say what? About Chaka?"

"Yes."

Natin smirked wryly. "What? You doubting me?"

"No."

He rolled his eyes at her brief answer. With the vigorous shake of his head, he replied, "They're good for mindless killing and tracking. If they didn't have a purpose, they'd probably die from their stupidity. Kovu told them the point of my mission was to scout. To spy, like I said. They know better that Kovu wants to kill Chaka himself. He's told them over and over, in fact."

Tanga opened her mouth to speak, but her fear kept her mute.

_It's nothing new I haven't been told before... Of course he'd want revenge on Chaka... and yet I'm still finding this all so very hard to swallow._

"Should we expect him to be angry that we're here?" Asuma asked.

Natin's blue eyes softened a bit. "Little to late now, isn't it, cousin?"

Asuma fell into silence.

Tanga tried to read her brother's expression from the small view she had of his face, but when he noticed she was starting from out of the corner of his eye, there was a fleeting moment of irritation followed by an expression as stoic as she'd ever seen.

_"Whether you believe we're incapable or not... we're the only ones who can do it."_

Asuma's words flashed in her mind, causing several chills to ripple through her spine and into her toes.

_What did I get myself into..._

Finally, when Natin started to walk a few lengths to meet them, Tanga looked on as a much larger group of the rogue lionesses approached them. This time the group was headed by a strange, dark-furred lion.

"Father..." she breathed once it struck her that the dark-furred lion wasn't just some battered, heartless rogue... but it was indeed Kovu. She gasped and lowered her ears.

"Shhh... easy, Tanga," Asuma whispered in her ear. He nudged her to stand her up and he supported her when she swayed on her three paws. Her injured paw was pulsing in pain. As she leaned against Asuma, she could feel how tense his muscles were beneath his pelt.

"Just let Natin do all the talking."

Tanga nodded and tried to breath evenly. She glanced at her brother. "Are you as scared as I am?"

He grimaced. "Be brave, Tanga."

_I'd be braver if you'd given me a straight answer..._

"Kovu, I have returned, as instructed, from the Pride Lands."

Tanga watched as Natin dipped his head deeply to Kovu, who acknowledged him with nothing but a curt nod. His attention was clearly focused on her and Asuma.

"As I was telling you before, your chil-"

Asuma gave a little growl as Kovu came towards them. He had a smile on his face, and he looked like a weight had been lifted from him. Tanga recognized the smile... or at least the gesture behind it. It was the smile he would have given them, long ago, right before they'd been about to fall asleep, or when he'd returned home from patrols and would play with them. She hadn't seen that particular smile since before her grandfather's death, and it disappointed and frightened her to see it marred by the scars on his jaw that made his grin tight and awkward. She also noticed he was missing the last half of his tail, and she suspected his deformities were parting gifts from Chaka.

It was uncertain whether to make the best of the situation and embrace him... or cringe and crouch behind Asuma like an infant cub.

"I thought I'd lost you!" Kovu gushed. He eagerly looked them up and down. "You're both looking so grown up... it was a shame I had to miss out on it."

"Well they're here now," Natin remarked, then chuckled. "Tanga was so eager to see you she insisted on keeping up a hard pace despite her paw."

Kovu frowned and came a little closer. "What's wrong with your paw, Tanga?"

She glanced at Natin, noticing the shadow of a nod he gave her. She then forced herself to put on a pleasant, easy smile. "It's alright, Daddy, I'll be fine. I'll rest up and then I'll be as good as new."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Tanga could feel Asuma's eyes burning into her back as she limped forward to butt heads and embrace their father, as awkward as it was as she tried to stay on her paws without collapsing. She felt her legs shake.

"You were always a stubborn one," her father said, a smile in his voice.

As he stepped back from her, Tanga searched her father's face for any hint of the killer that Natin and Asuma had described. Aside from his rough, aged appearance, he was the same to her. But it struck her then as he turned his attention to Asuma... that she felt numb inside. She knew she was going through the motions, as orchestrated by Kovu's would-be assassins, but she was disappointed that she didn't feel at least something either way. _Where Asuma and Natin only seem to have hate and repulsion, and where I'd imagine I'd at least have sympathy... I have... nothing..._ Hoping nobody had noticed her expression falter, self-consciously she widened her smile.

"Chaka turned them out," Natin spoke up. "They were willing enough to return with me to help their father."

Tanga glanced at Asuma and guessed Natin's explanation for their presence had been something they'd planned out before she'd tracked them down.

Kovu snarled and tensed. "What? And Kiara let him?"

Natin nodded. "She barely said a word to stop it, he has her so scared. He's just about turned the whole pride against Asuma. Tanga went with him because she disliked Chaka's decisions."

"Don't worry Asuma," Kovu said, moving towards Asuma, "we'll get your throne back."

Asuma pulled a face, and Tanga guessed it was his attempt at a smile. "Certainly with a whole army behind me, Father, we'll have no problems. Chaka's done nothing but weaken the pride. He deserves what's coming."

As Tanga's stomach turned at this, she watched Kovu's expression lighten again. He smiled. "Enough of that for now," he said. "How is my son?"

Asuma now was returning Kovu's smile, seemingly in earnest. "Better, and things are looking up even more now that I'm here with you. It's been a while."

"It's been too long." Though he remained smiling, it looked for a moment that their father was going to embrace Asuma as he had her, but the dark-furred lion seemed to stop himself from doing so. "Have... your nightmares gone away?" he asked.

Asuma nodded. "Not one in years."

Tanga caught herself before she could narrow her eyes at Asuma's response. She'd noticed the twitch at the corner of her brother's mouth. _He's never been much for lying either,_ she thought with concern. He had played the part up until then well, but she also knew what signs to look for. She suspected that their father would as well, despite Asuma's minimal instances of lying as a youngster. Now that she was aware of her tell-tale sign of lying, she knew it would be easier for her to fake a believable truth without getting caught, so long as she avoided her father as much as possible. It was already much easier to lie to him than she had ever dreamed it could be. _If Asuma stays low, too, and I tell him about the twitch, he and Natin can get away with this..._

"Sauda!"

Snapped from her thoughts, Tanga watched one of the lionesses slink up to Kovu's side.

"Yes, Kovu?"

Sauda's gaze met hers for only a heartbeat as she eyed her leader's children, but Tanga felt a definite chill... _Not to mention she's one of the ugliest lionesses I've ever seen..._

"I'm going to have a word with Natin. While I'm away, scout out something for my cubs to eat and drink," Kovu instructed. "I can imagine... You must be tired, coming all this way from home."

"Yes, we are, Daddy."

"And they'll find something to take care of your paw, Tanga," Kovu assured with a nod. He then turned to Sauda. When she didn't move at first, he cleared his throat and glared at her.

The lioness shot Kovu a haughty look in return. "Right away. Only the _best_ for the majesty's children."

"Thank you," Tanga managed to say as she started after Sauda, when the lioness turned to go, unnerved by how the lioness had reacted to Kovu's order.

"No, you can stay here and wait," her father insisted, smiling as he put a paw gently on her foreleg. "Rest," he continued, then glancing at Natin, "while my nephew and I have a chance to catch up on a few things." Without another word, Kovu turned away, and Natin began to follow.

"I'll be back soon," Natin told her and Asuma over his shoulder.

In her thoughts, Tanga wished Natin luck as she watched them go off together.

"Natin will take some heat," Asuma whispered in her ear, "for bringing us along. It would be worse if we hadn't said it's Chaka and Mother's fault we're here."

Tanga frowned. "He'll be fine... won't he? Daddy must want to ask him what he learned. He was a spy after all."

"I hope that's all. But remember... it's the lionesses we need to concern ourselves with. They're our biggest obstacle."

A couple of the younger rogue lionesses had stayed behind and were play fighting. Tanga cringed, watching as they tussled, unafraid to draw blood with their unsheathed claws and sharp teeth. _Yes, those lionesses..._ she thought grimly.

"Here, let me look at your paw again."

"Alright..." Tanga laid down and allowed Asuma to look over her paw. She let him help her clean it, hoping she would feel better once she had the chance to eat and drink. She wondered what they would find to put on her wound, too. She rested there in a daze, trying to wrap her mind around her situation.

"You did good. Keep it up."

"Huh?" Tanga blinked. "Oh... that. Right. What, did you think I was gonna tell him the real reason why we're here?"

"Of course not." Asuma frowned. "It's just... I know how you feel about... all of this."

Tanga could only sigh and pull a face to return Asuma's brief smile before he started on her paw again. She watched him tiredly for several more moments before a thought occurred to her.

"Hey, Asuma?"

"Hmm?"

"You... didn't bring Tswane's herbs with you, did you."

He paused for a moment before shaking his head.

_That's what I thought..._

"Asuma, next time you lie," she began, "you should be aware that your mouth twitches. Natin told me how my ears twitch when I lie.

"I've noticed you'd stopped that."

"Yes. Well, I thought I'd tell you so you could be more careful. Daddy might notice."

Asuma made a face, as if he were inwardly chastising himself. "Yes, I see what you mean... Thanks, Tanga."

"No problem. And Asuma?"

His ears perked.

"If you want... I'd listen to you if you wanna tell me about your nightmares. And... I know how Mother and the others haven't been as kind to you..."

His mouth was set into a hard line as his gaze dropped to the ground.

"...But I've always been here for you. I want to help you."

..._Within reason..._ she added silently.

He smiled back at her, nodding once, but she noticed the smile didn't reach his eyes. She had to suppress a sigh of frustration even as he said, "It's nice to hear that, Tanga. Thank you. I appreciate it." He then returned his attention to her paw, running his tongue gently and carefully over her wound.

As she watched him, the numbness she had been feeling up until then lifted.

_I think help has come too late for you... or at least I pray it hasn't._

8888888888888

Natin flicked his ear. With his paw he swatted at the large fly that had been bothering him.

"Is that everything?"

Natin nodded. "Yes, Kovu. Am I excused?" Kovu had taken him to a secluded area under a shriveled tree that had been selfish about offering them even a scrap of shade. Often during their discussions concerning the impending war with Chaka, Sauda was allowed to be present, but she hadn't been welcome this time.

_I don't dare ask why..._

Kovu nodded once. "I'm sure you'd like to get back to Asuma, and especially Tanga," he agreed. "Make sure the lionesses have looked after them."

"Of course." Natin dipped his head to the dark-furred rogue. He remembered to breathe calmly as he pushed himself to his paws to leave.

_It's happening... I've gotten this far..._

He now had help to take out Kovu and had managed, somehow, to not get himself killed along the way.

_I'm almost there, Mother... Simba..._

"But... there is something else."

"Yes, Kovu?" When Natin turned to give Kovu little more than a glance over his shoulder, it was difficult not to flinch at the hard look on his elder's scarred-up face.

Kovu narrowed his green eyes. "Don't go against my orders ever again, Natin. I told you to keep them out of this."

Natin's throat tightened. His instinctual thought was to again defend his reasons for bringing the rogue prince's children with him, but he knew he was on shaky ground. He had nothing new to tell Kovu anyway, and the more he talked about his "reasons" the higher risk he ran of slipping up in any way.

"Yes, of course, Kovu," he promised. He dipped his head. "Can't expect to make that mistake and get away again with just a warning, right?"

Kovu smirked a little and tilted his chin. He stood up and walked past Natin. Under his breath, his uncle roughly muttered, "Good. I'm glad you see it my way."

"Right..."

_Almost there, Mother..._


	27. Awaiting the Signal

"Chaka's plan worked out perfectly," Kiara scoffed once she had stomped out of earshot from the River Pride lions, Suki trailing quickly behind her. With little notice that morning, Chaka had ordered the two lionesses to visit the River Pride, and they had spent most of the day trying to find them. It had taken very little time for the pride's two patriarchs to send Kiara and Suki on their way with no more than an implied apology.

"They knew what you were up to, didn't they?"

Kiara nodded. "One after another, the three nearby prides have refused Chaka's request. He thought by sending two helpless lionesses to beg for his army he'd get his way. I'm uncertain if they were warned or if they just don't mind the thought of what could happen to the Pride Lands."

"Nobody is left?"

Kiara shook her head.

She suspected that Chaka was becoming increasingly reluctant to leave Pride Rock, another reason she thought he sent them in his place. The moon had almost completed half a cycle since the three young heirs had vanished, and the entire pride was trying desperately to prepare themselves for an attack by Kovu and his rogues.

_And the longer I wait and suffer, the more fearful I become that I will never find out what has happened to my children... but a part of me hopes that Kovu won't show..._

"My queen... may I ask you a question?"

Too frustrated to talk before, Kiara had been surprised when Suki had spoken. She perked her ears. "Yes, Suki, what is it?"

"Warn me if I'm being too bold, and please don't feel like you need to answer this, but..." Suki began. Her voice then went down to almost a whisper when she said, "What will _you_ do if... if Kovu returns?"

All at once Kiara felt her body drain of energy, and suddenly the horribly long trek back to Pride Rock made every muscle ache from toe to tail.

"Kiara? Please, like I said, you don't... if you don't wan-"

"I know what will be done if Kovu comes home and provokes a war."

Suki waited a beat. "And if Chaka fails?"

Kiara closed her eyes. "Then I'll have to make the decision to fight until my dying breath... or give up my family's lands to Kovu."

"We won't let him," Suki blurted.

Kiara cocked her head to the side and hesitated a step as she looked at Suki.

"I-I'll fight with you. We all will."

"That's sweet Suki, but-"

"Don't give up!" Suki urged, "I mean... not now. Not after what you did for us all. You and Vitani were so brave."

Kiara's jaw tensed. _I don't feel so brave anymore... and even that day when I was brave I did it because Kovu was at my side... and I ended up trusting the wrong lion... now how will I have the strength to fight Kovu, especially if I know that he's killed our children?_

"I believe you'll make the right decision."

For Suki's sake, Kiara tried to smile, but guessed when Suki made a face that she'd only managed to grimace.

"I hope so, too."

8888888

With enough rest and care, his sister had been back on her paws quicker than they'd expected. He'd counted them all, and they had been away from the pride for roughly eleven days. They'd had _more_ than plenty enough time to observe Kovu, and Asuma knew it was time to start serious plans for Kovu's removal. That morning Asuma had reminded Natin that they couldn't afford to wait any longer.

"If his reluctance to meet you two at first is any indication to his deterioration, then we'll have to be _very_ careful."

"I noticed that," Tanga remarked quietly.

"But he seems to trust us now. He wants to engage us in his and Sauda's plans," Asuma said, looking around carefully as he sat down with his sister and cousin. They had put at least a mile between them and the camp that morning, after announcing Natin was taking them out to do battle training, and were surrounded by short grass, but the light-furred lion was still nervous that one of Kovu's lionesses would pop up and surprise them.

"_Seems_ being the key word?"

Asuma narrowed his eyes at Natin. "It's as good as it's gonna get after all the time we've spent with him. We shouldn't have waited this long to talk about _our_ plans. He wants to relocate again in a day or two, three at the maximum. He doesn't have to say it out loud. I didn't think you'd ever want to start planning."

"We were waiting for Tanga to recover."

"Yes, but that's come and gone. She's been on her paws for days now. I hope at least you were occupying your time thinking up a plan."

Natin frowned. "We're here now. I think we can manage."

"Do you have anything?"

Natin made a face. "I have a few ideas."

By bringing Tanga with them, they had felt Kovu's suspicions would be less aroused. Asuma glanced at his grim-faced sister, regretting doing so. "Fine. Let's begin then. What are these ideas?"

Clearing his throat, Natin said, "We know it has to be an ambush when the lionesses aren't around. We can handle a couple apiece, but that's if we escape without injury."

"What if we ask Kovu to have a private conversation? The odds would be in our favor."

"Sauda is often present. She'd want to be around."

"He trusts us now. If we told him to ditch her he would."

"She listens in on everything. Especially when they're so close to battle."

_She wasn't with you two the day we arrived. Why didn't you kill him then, cousin? It wasn't just because of Tanga. Why haven't you killed him in his sleep yet? Why'd you even bother worrying about whether the lionesses killed you or not?_

Asuma forced himself to not call his cousin out in front of Tanga. He didn't want to alarm her. Ever since Natin had proposed his supposed suicide mission, Asuma had been carrying with him the voice in the back of his head that doubted Natin's commitment to killing Kovu. He wasn't sure if he cared that much about whether or not Natin was just being a coward. What mattered to him was that their mission was accomplished.

"What if..."

Tanga's voice broke through his dark thoughts.

"What did you say?" he asked.

She fidgeted. "Well... I was just thinking... What if... during a hunt..."

Both young males looked at Tanga, their eyes widening.

She glanced down at the ground. "It's just an idea... but... what if I were to..." But she trailed off, a wrinkle forming between her eyes. "No, it's stupid..."

"Tanga, tell us your idea," Asuma asked eagerly.

His sister pulled a face and she looked up guiltily at them. "We need a distraction, right? Well... I can pretend to get hurt during a hunt. Wouldn't Father come to help me?"

Natin frowned. "But Sauda's lionesses, they'll be there and see what is happening a mile off."

"No, no." Tanga shook her head. "It would just be a hunt for Asuma and I, like a hunt dedicated to Father to show him how we've grown... or something like that. Like a last feast before the big battle."

"Tanga, be less vague than 'something like that'," Asuma said.

"Excuse me," Tanga snapped, her ears going back, "but I don't especially like giving you two tips on how to get rid of my father."

"Well if you're going to tease me with an option, at least give me a better idea of 'how to get rid' of him. How will a hunt do that?"

Tanga's eyes narrowed, but she didn't speak or move.

"Go on, Tanga," he pressed, "tell us what your big plan is. What? Do you think he'll just lie down under some zebra and wait to be trampled?"

"That's not-"

"Then leave. We're looking for help, not for you to get in the way."

"I..."

"Asuma..."

Asuma growled softly at Natin, who had spoken his name in a low, tense warning.

"There's no need for that, so don't bully her. We're in this together."

"Either we get it right or we don't," Asuma snapped. He then shook his head, closing his eyes in irritation. "This is absolutely pointless. We're arguing too much."

_Why didn't Natin just do this before, then we wouldn't have this problem..._

Their silence was all the agreement he needed. When he glanced up, Tanga and Natin were staring miserably down at their paws.

It was then he realized they were way in over their heads, and for a brief moment-

_No! No, I won't give up like this. And I won't let Natin give up either. We haven't come all this way to fail. We'll succeed..._

He cleared his throat when he could not longer wait them out. They looked up and frowned at him as he said curtly, "Please elaborate, Tanga."

Tanga exchanged an uncertain look with Natin. Their cousin nodded to her as she began.

"We tell him we want a hunt for just you and me," she told Asuma. "Sauda, Natin, Kovu, and the lionesses can be on the sidelines. In the middle of it all... I could pretend my paw is hurting me again. Like I needed help."

Natin furrowed his brow in thought. "...Kovu would come for you then?"

Tanga made a face. "Exactly."

For as much as she protested, Asuma thought her idea had potential. Natin certainly had little to suggest. "He could be drawn to the center of the stampede," he said, "But is there a herd that's big enough? The timing will need to be correct."

Natin nodded. "The closer we've gotten to the Pride Lands, the bigger the herds are getting. There's one a good day's run from here. If we suggest this idea to Kovu, Sauda and her lionesses will have no objections to tracking it."

"It'll be like the hunts he never took us on, especially the day he killed Simba."

"Right."

Natin then gave Asuma a sort of sideways glance of unease that caused the pale-furred lion's body to flush with irritation.

"What now?"

"Excuse me, but... how am I supposed to help with the... situation... if I'm on the sidelines."

"Just follow him when he goes to help her," Asuma explained with a shrug. "You can quietly draw his attention to her distress, otherwise he would probably miss it. Distract him so he won't think to call on Sauda to help. Once he gets to Tanga, he can be ambushed. That way, once he's dead we can make an easy getaway without much detection."

"Right, that's what I was thinking," Tanga said. "The herd would cover our trail. It's gonna confuse Sauda and the lionesses... hopefully long enough for..."

Natin sighed loudly. "You'll run as soon as Kovu has seen you, Tanga," Natin told her. "Asuma and I can leave once it's over. It shouldn't take long between the two of us. Distance will be crucial. We'll need as much of it as we can get before the lionesses start trying to hunt us down."

"Can we lose them completely?" Tanga asked.

"If we take off in three separate directions it will help," Natin replied. "We can establish a place to meet, then we may have to split up again. There was a river I had to cross to get to the Pride Lands. The large herd I saw probably likes to stick around it. I took Asuma and you on a different route on the way here to avoid crossing it, though it added almost a day of travel when I did. The river is a little rough, but we can do it and it'll slow the lionesses down at the very least."

_It's almost like opportunity is staring us in the face..._

"Asuma, when are we gonna propose this? When we get back to camp?"

He nodded to his cousin. "The sooner the better."

"Will you two have enough time to prepare? How many days are you gonna wait?"

"Two, maybe three at the max, if everything works out," Asuma explained.

"But," Natin stood and stretched, yawning, "in the mean time, could I offer battle lessons to anyone?"

Asuma found it very hard to miss the pointed look that Natin shot him when he said this.

"Well, you know," he remarked, "Like I said, the sooner the better. We should get back to camp to give Pop the great news."

There was something that passed over Natin's face, but it was gone before Asuma realized he had seen it. The dark-furred lion shrugged and looked away.

"Tanga?"

"Huh? Oh, no, I think I'll pass, Natin," she replied tiredly. Her body seemed to sag as she stood up. "Maybe later, okay?"

"Alright then... Are you _sure_ Asuma?"

The pale-furred lion nodded and started to lead the way back to camp.

"Yes, I'm sure, Natin. Not today."

8888888

"Well?"

He put little effort into concealing his impatience when he went to meet Kiara and Suki at the base of Pride Rock. It was late afternoon by the time they returned, the land already growing increasingly tinged with the orange light of a sun that planned on setting soon. Kiara was practically dragging her dusty paws while Suki plodded along with her head down below the line of her shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Chaka." Kiara's voice was bitter and exhausted. "We're on our own."

He let out a throaty snarl. "Why didn't you try harder?"

Kiara's mouth was set into a hard line as her eyes narrowed.

"Your mate will be here any day. We need all the help we can get. Unless of course you _want_ him to win."

"I'd like to see my entire family killed just as much as you, Chaka," Kiara snapped. "They refused to listen to me, simple as that. You're on our own. Be my guest if you wish to try forcing any of them into fighting for you." The lioness's voice cracked. "Just remember to bat your eyelashes more than I did, and it may also help if you flip your mane a little, too."

He tried to block Kiara from running off, but she dodged past him with a hiss. He roared and called her name, but she continued up the side to Pride Rock, leaving Suki behind.

"I'm... I-I'm sorry, Chaka... she's right... We did try..."

He turned and frowned at the lioness as she stared back at him, wide-eyed. At this, she shrank back from him, her ears lowering. He eyed her until she was sitting there looking miserable, her eyes connecting with the ground where her claws scratched lightly at the ground. She glanced up at him once or twice.

"We're sorry..." she told him meekly. "They couldn't spare anyone..."

Chaka just stood there, mulling over his situation. While Suki and Kiara had been away, he had organized the rest of the pride to practice battle techniques. If anything, the lionesses who had once followed Zira and Kovu would be their best advantage, but even then he wanted to be utterly certain of his defeat over Kovu.

"Huh? What was that Suki?"

"I said..." the small lioness began, "Maybe... Asuma and Natin will succeed..."

He sighed and shook his head. "Suki? Do you believe in miracles?"

She frowned. She glanced up at him like he'd spoken a foreign language. "Chaka, I don't know what you mean."

"It's simple- do you believe in miracles?"

Her voice was soft when she replied after a moment. "I suppose I do... believe in them."

"Because it's gonna take a miracle for Natin and Asuma to succeed at killing Kovu. Agent or a coward, Natin is taking his sweet time. Now, Asuma... well... Well, you know."

"What about Tanga?"

Chaka pulled a face and felt a small ache in his chest. To him, Tanga had been as close to a daughter as he'd ever had, and he'd been genuinely disappointed in her behavior. "I have little faith she'll return home in one piece. I don't care what Kiara or Tswane have said- it was irresponsible."

Suki lowered her head and went back to pawing at the dirt. She glanced around, and he wondered if she was struggling to find an excuse to follow after Kiara. She murmured, "I suppose you're right..."

"Every breath in my body will be used to ensure Kovu's death, and it's a shame they'll die because of him."

"Chaka... you talk as if they're already dead."

Without realizing it, Chaka had started to pace. He paused and glanced over at a doe-eyed Suki, clearing his throat. "Like I said... it'll take a miracle for my niece and nephew to return to us undamaged, if they return alive at all after what Natin will put them through."

"Oh..."

He felt like he was on the brink of madness as he continued to pace. Kiara's hardly-rational behavior would drive him there in itself. _I wish I knew the exact size of his force... when he exactly plans on attacking... the amount of determination he has to take the Pride Lands._.._ All the things that Natin has reported back to the enemy and more._ He knew it was all in bad planning, but he had counted on the help of at least one of the other prides, and time was running out to procure the aid of any additional force. His pride of nearly thirty could only be so prepared, and he very well couldn't train his lionesses into exhaustion- not to mention that nearly half of the lionesses were advanced in their age, were too young to fight, or were carrying a litter. He had thought he could send the weakest members away to safety with an ally pride, but now he doubted he could spare the battle power.

He closed his eyes and stopped pacing.

The pride that had raised him had been prone to the nature of warrior lions, he recalled, but he had never been directly involved, and in fact, he had been discouraged from fighting beside lions who considered him little more than a parasite which they reluctantly fed and protected at the benefit of his age. As a young adult, he'd tried to show them his strength, his brutality, but it was overshadowed by the lack of respectability he held amongst the rest of the close family. And when he forced himself to think about it, he found it debilitating to imagine how his own father would've handled the situation- how the lion he had barely known had both taken his rightful place by siege from Scar, and had defended his land from the Outsiders.

But when he thought about it a little more, to his regret he remembered that Simba had fought the battle against the Outsiders... _but my sister was the one who helped him win the war..._

"You're excused Suki."

He watched her leap to her feet and quickly dip her head to him. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Oh, and when you find Kiara," he added, "Tell her I need to speak with her about my battle plans- hopefully more civilly this time."

"You wish me to send her to you?"

He shook his head. "I'll come find her. She'll refuse to come to me."

Again, Suki dipped her head before running up the side of Pride Rock. His eyes following her, Chaka saw that Neo and Isabis had been waiting patiently for their mother's return, and she greeted them with kisses to their foreheads before they followed her out of sight. Isabis lingered just long enough to wave her paw at the big lion, who couldn't even muster more than a small tug at the corner of his mouth.

_Let's hope for a miracle..._


	28. Little Time Left For Discussion

**This update took WAAAAY longer than I thought it would. But I'm pretty proud of it. Lots of serious stuff happens, and at the end I gave Kovu some time to do some reflecting because it felt appropriate at this point in the story and I know how much you guys like reading his messed-up thoughts… Enjoy!**

* * *

"_Don't give up!"_

Suki's words echoed in the queen's mind.

_"Don't give up! Don't give-"_

A pair of tough-looking elderly lionesses snored together by the entrance of the cave. Highlights from the sun emphasized every scar and every wrinkle, but at the same time the golden rays accentuated the unburdened expressions of peace on their faces.

Kiara enviously watched them, her chin resting on her crossed paws.

She'd been a princess, doted upon by an entire pride and coddled by a mother _and_ a father who'd both loved her unconditionally. Even after Kovu had vanished, she'd never seen a hardship worth mentioning that was even close to anything the two elderly lionesses had experienced. She knew she had no room to complain…

_To feel sorry for myself._

She was so sick of Chaka, and she missed her children more than anyone could ever understand. There was also a dull ache in her chest that constantly reminded her of Kovu's absence- she'd tried to not let the ache bother her, but at that moment the discomfort made her eyes mist.

_"Don't give up!"_

Besides Suki's, there was another very little voice at the back of her mind, which eerily reminded her of Nala. It told her to stop feeling sorry for herself. To not lie down and give up.

_Start fighting again._

"Kiara?"

The honey-furred lioness looked up when she heard the soft voice. "Hmm?"

Suki's brow furrowed. "I hope I'm not disturbing you. Am I?"

Kiara shook her head. She sat up and tried to stretch away the foulness from her mood. "It's okay, Suki. Right now I wouldn't mind a bit of company."

For a moment, the worried-faced lioness avoided her gaze.

"Oh." Kiara grimaced. She didn't need the lioness to speak a work to know what she wanted. "Chaka?"

Suki nodded.

Kiara wanted to dig her way out the back of Pride Rock and run away from home. Just the idea of talking to Chaka made her stomach hurt.

"He wishes to be civil… well, that's what he told me," Suki explained, skepticism lacing her soft voice.

Kiara couldn't help but snort. "He'll have to open his ears first."

Suki shifted her weight while she looked down at her paws for a moment. She then looked over at Isabis and Neo, who were wrestling a few lengths away. Neo was champing on his sister's ear while Isabis pawed at the young lion's belly.

"We should find someplace safe for your cubs, Suki. There is no need for them to see what war is like."

Suki must have been thinking the same thing. "Where would they go?"

"Tswane would know where to hide them."

Both lionesses looked up.

Chaka had entered the den and was walking across the rocky floor.

"Can… Can he really keep them safe?" Suki asked, a wrinkle between her eyes.

"Something can be arranged." The big lion glanced over his shoulder to make sure the two elderly lionesses were moving along, however stiffly. When he faced forward again, he cleared his throat. "Kiara, I wish to speak with you. In private." He gave Suki a pointed look.

With a nod at first, Suki briefly leaned into Kiara's ear. "I wish you luck." The young mother then crossed over to her cubs and led them from the cave. She looked over her shoulder once, nodding to the grim-faced brother and sister, before following after her rambunctious children.

Kiara could faintly hear their giggles and squeals. As the volume of the cheerful sounds decreased, the tension in the cave became increasingly obvious. Unwilling to start the conversation, she waited for Chaka to open his big mouth.

It surprised her when the first words out of his mouth were the beginnings of an apology.

Unintentionally, she took a step backwards. "What?" She thought she'd misheard him.

"I… I said… Well… I just hope you can forgive me, Kiara," Chaka continued awkwardly. "I've really been unfair to you."

Staring at him in disbelief, she wanted to ask if he was trying to trick her. Then she noticed the spark of sincerity in his eyes, and the fur along her neck prickled as that sincerity intensified. It was so different from the anger and the disgust that had lingered and strengthened since the moment he'd learned to Simba's death. She found it startling.

"After our mother died… and I've just let my temper get away from me… forgotten my manners… I've hurt you-"

She thought it was too painful to watch him struggle to get his point across. "Why are you sorry now?" she cut him off. "What changed your mind?"

He looked a bit guilty. "Honestly? …I came to the realization that I need you more than I thought. So, I'm sorry."

She commended him, she supposed, on his honesty, but she knew it would be a lie if she didn't admit that this answer bothered her. Though he hadn't said a word otherwise, she knew his behavior suggested his focus had been on nothing but retribution. Chaka certainly had spent very little of his time forming bonds with his pridemates since rejoining the pride. His family had just gone on living in his peripheral vision. Now he _needed_ her?

Watching her, he was waiting for her reaction.

For some reason, she was reminded then of Asuma, eagerly waiting for a sign of approval or even just a mere hint of acknowledgement.

"Well?"

She glanced down at the ground. A prouder lion wouldn't think twice to spit on his apology and tell him to leap off a cliff.

But there was no time for that.

"Kiara?"

At her name, she met Chaka's gaze and held it. "If you want help," she began, speaking slowly, "then you need to actually listen to me, Chaka."

A grin appeared on his face. "All ears, sister," he said. His small grin then melted quickly into a grimace.

It was obvious that Chaka's bad habit was to favor his own opinion and discard all others. For a long moment, she wondered if he wanted _her_ to start talking right then. What would she even say? She bit her lip. This was a change. When her mouth opened, she was unsure of what would come out.

Then Chaka made a face when he blurted, "I want to know why you choose to talk rather than to settle things with claws and teeth. Why?"

She frowned. _He's back to criticizing me aga-_

His eyes widened at the surely unpleasant expression on her face. "Wait, wait, before you argue with me, let me try to rephrase that… How about… When faced with several options, how do you reason out your decisions?"

Her ears flicked when she narrowed her eyes in thought. "Any decision? Or specifically why I'd avoid spilling blood."

"Yeah, any. This isn't about blood."

Her eyes widened. "Well... I… er…"

"It's just that you're always so calm, and I'm not at all."

"Well… Chaka…"

"Did you learn it? Intuition? Please tell me."

"I…"

_What do I say?_

"Was it something you learned from our father?"

_What do I tell him?_

Chaka looked down at the dark, shadowy rock. He cleared his throat before he said soberly, "Simba… all this time I've heard he was brave, compassionate, and had one of the strongest senses of duty this pride had ever seen-"

"You've placed him on a pedestal, Chaka," she stopped him. She had to keep him as calm as possible. "He was just as perfect as anyone of us."

The big lion sat down and blinked as if he was confused.

"The lion that I knew," she tried to explain, "was all those things that you said, but he also had some demons he wanted to hide from the rest of us. We all have them… But we must overlook them and dig down deep inside ourselves to beat them in our own time."

They sat staring at each other for several moments. Chaka seemed just as surprised by her words as she was. He sat there with, a slight, thoughtful frown on his muzzle.

_Is this what he wanted? Has he just really come looking for an insight through me to our father's wisdom? _ _Because I have something that he doesn't? I know Father's absence pains him... Or maybe he's really having second thoughts? Or is he simply so desperate now that he'll listen to anyone?_

"I've seen... what hatred can do first-hand," she began again, thinking of Zira's fall into raging waters from the side of a cliff. "It's terrible. It'll consume you. Our father could have decided to let it destroy him, too-"

"But our father didn't allow that... If you ignore what that _murderer_ said about him..."

_"Fine, you want the truth? If your father hadn't had such an issue with trust and forgiveness, then none of this would have happened..."_

Kiara clenched her jaw. Kovu's words played in her head- etched there since he'd yelled them in that desperate voice of his.

"...But I guess it doesn't matter either way."

Reluctantly, Kiara nodded in agreement. She said quietly, "You're like Daddy because you've both lost a father. But you can't let this hatred consume you."

"Bad things happen," Chaka said, reminding her of something their father would have said, "but you can't turn your back on the world and leave it at that."

Chaka deflated all at once with a loud sigh, his face pinched.

"I haven't exactly been living by my own beliefs for some time."

This concerned Kiara. Chaka seemed like he was on the edge of something drastic, maybe even the decision to forgive Kovu for his role in their father's death, but none of that would matter if his quick, hot temper got in the way. It was like he was two creatures, and there was no rationalizing with Chaka when he was in a full fit. So, she had to ask: "You're calm now, but what about when you see him?"

"I was furious when we were pulled apart," Chaka admitted. "I didn't want to hear his excuses... You know exactly how I'll be when I meet him again." He made a face. "Why'd you ask me that?"

"Because I'm afraid you'll slip under all that rage again... and never return."

His silence left her nerves frayed. It continued as he started to pace. Just listening and watching him as he'd spoken, Kiara knew Chaka would surely spiral out of control if he succeeded in killing Kovu. _He'd no longer have anyone to physically direct his anger to... but I don't see that as a good thing. Kovu will be gone, but the wound will still be raw._

When she couldn't allow him to brood any longer, she said his name. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"I just can't understand..." Chaka said under his breath. His mane swished as he shook his head and kept pacing. "I just..."

Kiara looked down at her paws as Chaka fell silent again. It would take more than a singular moment for her brother to change his mindset. He'd come one step closer, she thought, but the end of his journey was still far off in the distance.

"Can I have time alone? Please, Kiara?"

She looked up and nodded, standing up. Kiara sidestepped around him and headed for the mouth of the den, glad to be released, but hesitant to leave him to his thoughts. At the mouth, she paused and looked over her shoulder.

"I do what I feel is right."

Chaka stopped pacing, raising a brow. "Excuse me?"

"When I make a decision," she explained, "I try to do what I feel is the right thing, regardless if I'm scared or sad or feeling selfish. But, you have to believe in yourself."

He didn't say anything. His eyes dropped to the ground in thought.

If he resumed pacing, she didn't see it. 

* * *

When they'd proposed Tanga's hunt to Kovu, the aging rogue had grinned at the idea and readily approved. They were to move out at dawn, and from the site of the hunt, which Asuma had suggested they hold at dark, they were to depart and head straight to the Pride Lands for battle. Kovu planned to strike within three days.

That night, Natin tossed and turned. He couldn't seem to silence his mind long enough to catch some sleep, not thinking of anything in particular, but plagued by a sort of static on the edges of his mind that frazzled his senses and made his stomach feel like he'd eaten a funky piece of meat.

_Is there a point to rolling around here? Already it'll take me hours to get all this sand out of my fur!_

With a soft growl, he stood up and shook out his mane. When he looked over through the small dissipating cloud of dust, he saw Asuma. By the way the younger lion was frowning and jerking his paws in his sleep, Natin expected him to be cranky in the morning.

Natin snorted.

_Since he's always __**so**__ cheerful and bright-eyed and all..._

Shaking his head, he turned from Asuma and lifted his paw to step past Tanga. But when he looked down and over, her spot was empty. He frowned. At first he wondered if she'd gone somewhere else to sleep. Maybe closer to her father. As he walked along, however, sweeping his gaze over the scraggly bodies of the other snoozing lionesses, he didn't find her. When he went back to her usual spot, the ground was still warm. He picked up her trail and followed it until he found her just out of sight from the rest of the group. She was just sitting very still, her nose pointed up to the night sky. He watched for a few moments to see if she would notice him before he walked up behind her, making as much noise as he could.

"Nightmares keeping you up so late?"

Tanga jumped sharply at his voice. When she turned to him, she had one of her brows cocked. "What?"

He wondered what she had been so focused on when he remarked, "Those nightmares... you told me about them when we met in the King's Graveyard. Still having them?"

She shook her head and shrugged. "Not really... but all this... I just needed some time alone. I do admit I've had a nightmare or two, but I don't think these ones have anything to do with my vigils in the graveyard."

"Oh... well, I suppose then." Natin also wondered then if she wasn't the only one having a problem with nightmares.

She made a face. "So I thought I'd come here and look at the stars... or something." She shrugged again. "I thought they'd comfort me."

"Have they?"

Her deep, airy sigh seemed to sum up the entirety of the feelings he thought were running through her head. "Not really. Do they comfort you, Natin?"

To avoid staring blankly at her, he quickly looked up at the sky. Her question had caught him off guard... and he realized then how he hadn't thought about the Great Kings and the lore of the stars most likely since his mother's death. The vast emptiness of the night sky seemed to echo the feeling he was carrying in his own chest.

"Sometimes," he lied.

Out of the corner of his eye, Tanga's shoulders sank and she made a face. "Maybe it's just another thing I'm not meant to get."

He closed his eyes and grimaced.

He didn't know what to say to her anymore.

She was miserable and he felt he was the only one really looking out for her. And that was just barely.

His words burst from his mouth. "If you don't want to, you don't have to do anything tomorrow."

"Wait- what did you say?"

He couldn't even meet her eye. "Asuma and I will do it alone. Quickly. Decisively. We'll tell you when to run... and then we'll meet you someplace."

"Do you think I'm backing out, or that I'll screw with your plans?'

His eyes widened. "No, that's not what I mean... It's..."

"What then?"

He felt like her sharp gaze was draining his energy. He sighed. "It's just that I don't want to put you through... that. It has to be done, but you-"

"Natin, I really wish you wouldn't talk like that," Tanga said. She turned her face away from him. "I wish you could forgive him. That's all it is. Neither you nor Asuma realize that."

"F-forgiveness?" His voice made the word into a curse, but he couldn't help it.

Tanga nodded. "Yeah, forgiveness."

He snorted rudely.

Her face snapped back to him and she was glaring hard.

Frowning, he said, "Who are _you_... to tell me that I have to forgive."

She bristled. "_Excuse_ me?"

He snarled softly. "I don't know if you've forgiven Kovu yet for trying to kill your brother, but I can guess that you can't forgive yourself for what Asuma had to go through, believing that Simba was dead because your grandfather went looking for him when he was lost. You think that if you hadn't bullied him into coming with us he could have been spared so much pain. Him and I heard the truth straight from Zazu, but Asuma's initial guilt is still your fault. I didn't understand at first what you were gonna say, when you slipped up, and nearly told me that night in the graveyard..."

She stared at him, wide-eyed with her mouth agape.

"But you know what?" he continued, "I'm just as responsible for Asuma's troubles as you, if not more. That's how I guessed. I was the one who _taunted_ you two into hunting with me. Asuma was only trying to prove us wrong. Had I known what I was doing, I would have been kinder. But the only difference between me and you is that I have never admitted any of that to myself until now."

At first he thought the look in her eye was embarrassment or maybe shock...

"Calling me a hypocrite doesn't advance your point, Natin," she told him sharply.

Instead it was anger.

Natin grimaced, his eyes narrowed. A deep crease formed between his eyes. "Look, we can't afford to let Kovu live," he told her, his voice level. "He got Simba killed, and he murdered my mother- his own _sister!_ Your aunt! I saw it in his eyes when he found me that he wanted to kill me, too. I have no idea why he let me live... he just won't be given the same strange sympathy he gave me. I won't forgive myself if I don't act soon. We don't have the luxury of choice."

"How..."

Tanga was speechless for several long moments, gazing confusedly at Natin's harsh expression. He knew she was seeing him in a new light.

His guess was confirmed when she took a couple steps away from him.

"But h-he's my fath-"

"No. Just _stop_. You must stop living in this fantasy, _Lewa!" _he pleaded. He had to look away for a moment, avoiding her eyes, which bore into him, causing him pain. "You're too innocent for your own good," he went on, no less calmly, "and y'just can't believe everything y'hear! Your mother, Chaka, Nala, Kovu, Asuma, me- we've all _lied_ to you, right to your face. Do you understand?"

_I want her to know the truth!_ He knew how much it hurt her to hear all of that, and he hoped she could see he was acting, so he thought, in her best interest. However, from one reluctant glance at the disgusted look on her face, he winced inwardly. And if she didn't understand his message now... he hoped she would sooner rather than later.

_But..._

What he suddenly found himself wrestling with was the part of her that he admired the most: did Tanga have to trade in her innocence just like that? He thought she was cheating herself by neglecting to look at the whole picture, but so what if she chose to see the good in every creature? Someone needed to!

_These days she's the only one on that track of thought._

Tanga whispered then, "That doesn't make it right."

Natin continued to refuse her gaze.

"You should know just how wrong it is to kill, Natin" she went on.

"The world will be better without him in it."

"You'll go down with him if you do this."

"Your father-"

"No," she snapped, "not just my father. Asuma, too."

He clenched his teeth. "Well what can you expect from any of us? We're just trying to find a solution. Our elders weren't doing a whole heck of a lot-"

"So you concoct an elaborate, insane plan to take care of things?"

He frowned and snorted rudely. "As _I_ recall_, you_ were the one who suggested the elaborate, crazy plan."

Her lip curled. "I didn't think you'd buy it!"

He balked. "What?" he coughed in surprise. "You were setting us up to _fail_? Weren't you? Tanga... didn't you realize how dang-"

"That's not the point! You two ate it up! Why? Why not just get it over with already? Why have you hesitated so much? Why?"

He fidgeted.

Her eyes widened when he couldn't give her an answer. "Natin..."

He braced himself.

"I think you're... afraid. Are you? Please tell me."

Natin squirmed under her hard gaze, opening his mouth a few times. Sure he was afraid! _You've had ample opportunity, and instead you just sat back. You'd always held out hope that Chaka would just show up one day and take Kovu out. Because of that, you're no better than Asuma, and Chaka never came to the rescue... and now you're here, questioning yourself like this... it's so dangerous, and yes, I'm afraid to fail... but you can't let __**her**__ see that._

"Please?" Tanga begged.

He forced himself to look at her when he insisted, "Imagine what the lion you call 'Father' is capable of. If some strange lion was threatening your family, wouldn't you go into battle to defend them?"

"Of course I would, but-"

"You don't know him anymore... like you think you ever did," he told her brusquely. "He's... changed. Taken on a new form..."

She looked so bewildered, unable to let it go. Despite what her father had done, he thought she was refusing to believe there was only the one possibility, only the one scenario.

Sure enough, she suggested meekly, "Will he listen if we talk to him?"

Natin felt his face softened a little as he met her eyes again. Slowly, he shook his head. "I've lived with him for years. I don't think so, _Lewa_. He won't listen to you."

"But..."

Again, he shook his head. "My mother's dead because she tried to talk to him. He's deaf to reason. He just as monstrous on the inside as he is on the outside now. And if you think that you'll be any different... For your own safety... Just don't. You can't risk your own life to save him, and you can't expose us."

Her face was pinched and her voice cracked when she said, "Anything is worth the risk if the alternative is murder."

"Tanga, he would end me me once and for all if he knew what my true intentions had been from the beginning. He'd also wanna kill Asuma, and he would do it right this time... and I wouldn't put it past him to do you in as well. Or at least he'd have those lionesses do it for him."

"But it's still murder..."

Tears dampened her face. After a moment, she closed her eyes to hide them from him, her face contorting into a grimace.

Sighing, Natin instinctively moved closer. He'd half-expected her to cringe away. To his relief, Tanga instantly plunged her face into his thick mane. She cried quietly, shuddering every so often.

She sniffed. "I can't even ask you to run away with me, Natin," she croaked.

Several times, he opened his mouth to say something else in hopes of comforting her, to show her that his mind wasn't completely that of a killer's, but his words ran away from him faster than a herd of gazelle. His body ached. After a while, the pause was becoming so utterly unbearable, he was tempted to just get up and walk away from her. He had never sought to hurt her, but he couldn't have her compromising his mission and his promise to himself, to Simba, to his mother, and to Asuma. As much as he hated to admit it, they had priority over Tanga.

"_Lewa_, please don't try to talk to him," he rasped. "Promise me."

She was quiet just long enough to make him very uncomfortable.

"Okay, Tanga?"

"Okay," she repeated.

He growled quietly at her stubbornness. He didn't believe her. "Think of it this way: the lives of your pride in exchange for Kovu. Neither Kovu nor Chaka are going to stop until the one of them is dead, regardless of who has to sacrifice their life for either party's cause. Both groups are gonna be entirely wiped out. That's _exactly_ why we came here. To stop them. It's part of a greater good."

He felt her nod.

After a moment, she said. "I understand."

His eyes widened. "You understand?"

_Why do I feel uncertain?_

She nodded again. "It's for the greater good, you say, but do you really mean it, Natin?"

When she pulled away from him, he had no choice but to look her in the face, and he was determined to not divert his gaze again. He wasn't going to falter, no matter what she said. "What _do_ you mean?" he asked, frowning again.

"Well, have you ever killed anyone before?"

"No, I have not."

"Then this is an awfully big burden to take on just for 'the greater good'. Like I said... you'll go down with him. All of you."

Again, he didn't know how to respond. _Of course my motives are a little bit selfish, but I'll never say it out loud,_ he thought.

"You deserve better, y'know..." She seemed to search his face, her eyes bright and lovely in the moonlight, but within a few heartbeats her eyes went dull again.

_Great Kings... She's trying to help __**me**__!_

She let out a sigh and turned from him, standing up. "I wish I could fully understand what you're doing, Natin, but somehow... even if you told me... I'd only feel like I was having some big trick played on me." She started to leave.

Impulsively, he stood up to block her way. "Tanga, wait a mom-"

"Move!"

He flinched when she bared her teeth at him, her misty green eyes flashing with fury, her nose shining with dampness. But he refused to move aside. He urged, "Don't talk to Asuma about this, either. Un-der-stand?"

"Sure, whatever," she muttered, refusing to meet his gaze.

Tiredly, he allowed her to push past him.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you. Don't worry, I'll be there for the execution."

Wide-eyed, he watched her run off. He wasn't stupid enough to follow. _It's best you leave her alone for now._ He also was beginning to wonder if he had underestimated her. Maybe she'd never been as innocent as he'd thought.

_Maybe __**she's**__ the only one seeing the whole picture._

He growled.

He beat his paws on the ground and swatted at a clump of grass, which exploded into a cloud of pollen and plant scraps. "Stupidstupidstupid!" He then stood there panting, his teeth gritted. A throaty growl of frustration escaped him as he turned his eyes up to the dark sky.

Little pin pricks of stars peered down on him, like the disapproving eyes of a mother lioness who'd stumbled upon her naughty cub. He was reminded of his own mother's maternal glare at that moment. He curled a lip, but flinched inwardly.

"What?" he muttered. "Do you expect anything less out of me? He's killed my mother and he'll kill our pride. It has to be done... There's no way around it..." He trailed off, a crease forming between his eyes.

"And it's all on me to do it..." 

* * *

"Dad?"

Kovu jerked from his thoughts and blinking, shook his head. He had no idea how long Asuma had been standing next to him.

"I asked you a question," Asuma said, frowning a little with his brows arched. "You heard it, didn't you?"

Kovu made a guilty face and shook his head. "What did you say?"

When Asuma asked again if he'd seen Natin, Kovu raised a brow.

"No, not since last night. Why?"

The young, blue-eyed lion sat down and shrugged. "He's not here."

The pride was slowly gathering up stragglers who were taking their sweet, easy time waking up. Kovu half-heartedly glanced around for his truant nephew. It wasn't unusual for Natin to disappear on the desolate land of the savannah for large parts of a day, and it was less than surprising that he should be missing at that moment.

Kovu turned back to Asuma. "He'll show before we leave," he assured his son, and gave him a small smile. "Have you eaten? The lionesses should find you something small."

"Dad, no," Asuma replied with a small chuckle, returning Kovu's smile, "don't worry about me. I'm not a cub anymore."

"I know, but..."

When Kovu looked at his son, it was hard to imagine him as anything but the young juvenile he'd left behind- both bright-eyed and quietly intelligent, as well as moody and self-deprecating. He'd abandoned that young, complex lion. Asuma still had an aura of youthful innocence despite his insistence that he not be treated like a child... but Kovu sensed there was something more, brewing just beneath the surface.

Kovu best of all knew how to hide one's true self.

"Father?"

Kovu was snapped from his thoughts and shook his head once again to clear his mind.

Asuma had a brow raised. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm alright." A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he met Asuma's eye. "Just happy you're here."

"Now haven't I heard that about a dozen times?"

Kovu chuckled lightly. "Well, you'll hear it a dozen more times before the end, so get used to it."

Asuma was smiling, but when his son's gaze suddenly drifted away, the grin dropped from his darkening face.

"Kovu, we're ready to move," he heard Sauda report.

Kovu felt his body tense in the presence of the dark-furred lioness. "My son says that Natin is missing. Is he back?"

Nodding, the lioness then motioned with her snout to the right, and sure enough, his nephew was sitting near Tanga. "Yeah, yeah, the kid's over there," she grumbled. "Can we go now?"

"Perhaps my father and I haven't finished our conversation," Asuma spoke up, giving Sauda a hard look.

The lioness snorted rudely, clearly much to Asuma's displeasure.

Kovu thought he heard a soft growl.

"Sauda, catch Asuma breakfast while you wait patiently," Kovu told her before she could lift her sharp tongue. He dismissed her with a curt nod.

Despite the eye roll she gave him when he flashed her a bit of teeth, she skittered away quietly enough.

His faced heated up, however, when he heard her mutter something under her breath. He glared at the lioness's back.

Asuma cleared his throat to catch his father's attention. "You didn't have to do that for me," he said. There was something different about the young lion's tone.

Kovu perked his ears when he saw his son was frowning while the end of his red-brown tail flickered back and forth. "Why not eat? Besides, it'll keep her busy," he insisted.

"No, that's not..." Asuma replied stiffly, "I mean... sending her away before she could say something rude to me? I didn't need you to step in like that."

"But-"

"And I wouldn't let them talk to me that way," Asuma then remarked. "Why not make her apologize, Father?"

_Even if I'd had the energy, it would be stupid to waste it on disciplining that infuriating lioness._

Kovu shrugged. "I know when to pick my battles, that's all," he replied.

"Well," Asuma began, standing to leave, "should there really be a need to be picky about _any_ battles?"

His eyes widened. Watching the young lion turn away, Kovu wasn't sure what to make of what his son had just said.

"And Father?"

If a bit reluctantly, Kovu replied. "Yes?"

His son's back was still to him. "I hope you don't mind me asking... but... where will they go after they've helped us win the battle? You haven't said."

"Well," Kovu began, "I did promise them a home in the Pride Lands."

Asuma was shaking his head. He finally looked over his shoulder at Kovu. "You can't trust someone who has an insatiable appetite. You were trained as an assassin. I keep wondering why you haven't returned to Pride Rock and taken Chaka out. We don't need these rogues to win."

He opened his mouth as his face heated even more with embarrassment and anger, but his retort was caught in his constricted throat.

At times, as he remembered, Asuma had always possessed a knack for insightfulness, but now it felt like he'd crossed a huge line. His son was outright questioning his plans and motives. If Asuma had been any lion beside his son, even Natin, Kovu knew the young lion would be beneath his claws begging to deliver an apology.

_ Though... you wouldn't wait for an explanation when you bothered to point out my dependence on the lionesses... and I thought __**I**__ was the one who cared __**much**__ less to discipline Sauda..._

Curiously, he watched Asuma walk over to Natin and Tanga, thinking about how, when he'd gone to reunite with his cubs, he'd instead met a couple of strangers. He _knew_ they were _his_ children, but he still expected to wake up from the nightmare. Asuma and Tanga, now full-grown, were prepared to stand at his side in a battle, virtually no questions asked. They were no longer so little and naive, and he wasn't sure how to deal with these near-strangers who insisted on being treated like adults.

He wondered just how well they knew their father. _Who talked to them when I didn't come home?_ _What were they told? _ _Did they say I was dead? Do they believe I was responsible for Simba's death? Do they know who Simba's true murderer is? Has Natin told them? _These questions had been gnawing at him since the moment Natin had said he had brought them with him from the Pride Lands. After his return, his nephew had only reported on what he knew of Kiara and Chaka's recent plans, and nothing more. He had given Kovu little insight into what his children knew as the "truth", and he'd been too afraid to ask about it. It was just one more regret now...

_Most of all I regret running out of the den when Kiara and Vitani told them about my past. They've never heard my side of the story. _

Until he asked, he had to go by the faith that either they knew _nothing_ about his role in Simba's death... or that his behavior in the face of Simba's death wasn't as much as a sin in their eyes, as the rest of their family made it out to be. _But which is it...?_ Given that they'd been told at all, he could then only begin to assume that at the very least taking out Chaka was going to be justified. Chaka _had_ dethroned them as far as Kovu was concerned.

It was just... their behavior was too guarded. Given Asuma's reaction to Simba's death, and his anger at his grandfather's killer, Kovu was greatly stunned that he was breathing and had had several, reasonably civil conversations with said lion. That led him to cling to the hope Asuma still didn't know what had really happened to Simba. By contrast, he was even more confused by Tanga's dedication to Kovu and her seemingly quick betrayal of her mother and Chaka. He'd never imagined his sweet, playful daughter would actively put herself in a situation where violence was even an option.

_I'm missing something... Either their downplaying everything that has happened in my absence... or it is something else entirely..._

But what had been stopping _him_ from acting all that time?

He knew it was one thing that he shouldn't want to meet Chaka on a battlefield without an army, but Asuma reminded him that he had been trained _specifically_ for ambush attacks.

_If __**I**__had wanted to... I would have already... right?_

So _why_ was he kidding himself anymore?

When he had sent Natin home, the last thing he had been fearful about was that the young lion would betray him. Instead, he knew, deep down, he'd been fearful that Natin would stick to the plan and return to fetch him. He had _prayed_ that Natin would be captured in their homelands or decide that he liked that life better. He was _betting_ on Natin to give up the fight. He'd been prepared to lead the lionesses around on an endless journey. It would be nearly impossible for them to find the Pride Lands on their own. Instead, Natin had returned, and with even more incentive for Kovu to go into battle with Chaka: to reclaim the throne that was rightfully Asuma and Tanga's.

At that moment Kovu wondered angrily if Natin was trying to punish him for Vitani's death, to push him as far as he could. He knew Vitani had told her son about everything his uncle had done- using Kiara to get to Simba in the beginning, killing Zira, leading Simba to his death, trying to kill Asuma, and hiding all of it from the family.

Little-to-nothing was stopping Natin from telling his children all of that. It would take very little more for Natin to use them against their own father.

To finally break him.

Kovu had already given Natin the same murderous skills he had learned from Zira, and the young lion had excelled. If he had been in his right mind, Kovu should have considered more carefully the option of sending Natin to off Chaka, just as the lionesses had wished.

But he hadn't.

He'd often wondered on sleepless nights why he'd allowed Natin to live at all. Why he'd taken the cub of the sister he'd had murdered out of spite under his wing-

"All the kids are accounted for and fed. Can we go now?"

Kovu shifted his focus from the abyss and eyed Sauda, taking in her gaped grin and scruffy complexion. "Yes, tell them we can go now," he replied coolly.

With little acknowledgement, the lioness turned and jogged off to tell her pridesisters the good news. They were all thrilled for the big hunt, even if they were to be excluded for the first half while his children worked. He knew they'd press hard to get to the big herds Natin had described as quickly as possible, especially when they knew it was one move closer to stepping into the Pride Lands.

Kovu sighed and stood up.

_"You can't trust someone who has an insatiable appetite. You were trained as an assassin. I keep wondering why you haven't returned to Pride Rock and taken Chaka out. We don't need these rogues to win."_

As he moved away from the rag-tag pride to lead them along, Asuma's observation began to echo in his mind.

_"We don't need these rogues..."_

He was tired of the lionesses.

He was tired of exile.

He was tired of Natin.

And he was done with not doing anything about it.

* * *

**Well, this is the longest chapter thus far ('Departure' coming in a close 2****nd****.) I have no idea how long it will take for me to write the next one, just warning you guys now—I have to make my mind up on a major plot point, so you'll have to please bear with me.**

**This time last year, the section with Tanga and Natin had already been drafted, though it went under heavy construction to get to you guys since the story I had then is nothing like it is now. Also, this story has nearly been on for a year! (I promise I won't take 2 to finish it. It's just turned into a MUCH bigger project than I thought it would.)**

**Blame the characters, they're practically sentient now. XD**


	29. Direction of Action

_**A/N: Time for another update! I thought I would have this done by Thanksgiving, but it didn't quite work out that way, as you can see. I hope to have the next chapter up quicker, or at least by Christmas. In any case, enjoy! I'm pretty freakin' proud of this chapter (though I feel that way about every new chapter XD).**_

_**88888**_

Dusk had fallen hours ago. The large herds that Natin had described were still far in the distance, but he assured them all that they were within half a day's reach of finding them. Already it was clear by the concentrated areas of animals that were sprouting up to populate the landscape that they all were converging towards some central point. To save energy, Kovu had allowed them to rest for a few hours. They had done nothing but walk the entire day, a brisk pace at that.

As Asuma tediously licked his sore paws, he knew all his aches and pains and patience would pay off soon. He was alone. He wasn't sure where Natin and Tanga were, though he guessed they were off by themselves as well. It was obvious something extraordinary had happened between them since they hadn't spoken a word to each other the whole day. Asuma hadn't bothered himself with asking what exactly it had been, but he knew he would need to know eventually. Any break or distraction would ensure a failure. They needed Natin's steady focus the most.

_This time tomorrow..._ Asuma thought to himself, a grin tugging insistently at one corner of his jaw, _this time tomorrow it will be done. The pride will no longer be in danger because __**we**__ saved __**them**__. They'll be unable to treat us like ignorant cubs._

A voice at the back of his mind scolded him that it was dangerous to consider the battle already won, but he pushed it away. He hadn't felt that lively in years...

_Not since..._

With his face pinched, Asuma stretched his forelegs out in front of him and clawed at the dry dirt. A deep growl hit the back of his throat and rattled through the rest of his sore body. The old, searing feelings of disappointment, helplessness, and betrayal clouded his vision. He struggled to shove the feelings back down into his core, where those feelings had festered and lingered during his father's absence. Before he had known the truth with total certainty that his father was a murderer, those emotions had nagged at the back of his mind. His helplessness had increased when early on he'd realized that there was nobody willing to help him, to talk to him. He could have asked for the answers, but he had refused to be lied to again. Besides, it wasn't his responsibility to question the "facts" they had handed him; if they wanted to share the truth with him there had been nothing preventing them from doing so.

_They didn't understand, and so they didn't even try._

The unexplained "rumors" that Kovu had killed his grandfather had fired the increasingly dark emotions; but, there had been no outlet since the rogue who had supposedly killed Kovu had ended that chapter in the pride's story. When the "rogue killers", that Chaka had in turn killed, had been revealed as a sham, Asuma had struck at the chance to make things right again... to finally do _something_ and put his past to rest.

_All this... everything __**is**__ Kovu's fault._

His family must have known there was something wrong with him! Surely? Only Tanga had tried to help him, but he hadn't told her anything because she wasn't the problem. Sure, she had been of the party that had led him to become Kovu's victim, but what she'd done was forgivable in her cubhood innocence. It was just everybody else. They had all tiptoed around their precious little Asuma, telling him lies while also withholding the information he had so desperately needed. He was certain they were all scared of him, too, which both saddened and frightened him.

_Why the fear? Why me? What did I ever do?_

He realized then he had been staring sightlessly at his paws. Blinking, he frowned and turned them over. His jaw went slack. He was shocked to find that he'd clawed so deeply into the ground that he'd opened up the tender sores on his paw pads. They were now coated in a thin layer of red-tinged, syrupy kind of mud. Up inside his toes it burned from the great stress he had put on his claws. With a nervous grimace of distaste, he shook his head and pulled his paws closer to clean them again. He intently eyed the long and thin, but deep, trench-like scars that he had created with his claws. The brown, scruffy earth around the scars was smeared in red.

Asuma growled again.

He hated Kovu, mostly for being so wasteful. The lion had struggled so hard, it had seemed, to get away from Zira, only to go back to his old habits. He'd thrown away his family like they had meant_ nothing _to him, even killing his own, and now he was half-heartedly planning to get them back? _And_ with a stupid army of lionesses who served little more purpose than to bring further destruction to the pride he claimed he loved so much? If it was to be for the sake of restoring the throne to his heirs, which was nothing more than a sham in and of itself, it was pointless and irrational. As Asuma had pointed out the morning before, Kovu had had ample opportunity to strike in the Pride Lands. If he had truly wanted his family back, he wouldn't have made things nearly so complicated. If he had really loved his family...

_Kovu doesn't __**deserve**__ his family. He doesn't __**deserve**__ to walk this land._

And Natin! He was the most wasteful of all! He had known _all_ that time that Kovu had killed Simba _and_ his mother, and yet he had stood back and waited until the last minute. Natin was supposed to be strong and brave and confident, but his cousin had done nothing with his gifts.

Instead, Natin had come to _him_ for help. All Natin had now was his strength, Asuma suspected. Nothing more.

_But that's what separates him from me._

"Asuma?"

Natin's voice triggered his return to reality. With a concerned frown, his cousin was looking down his nose at his tattered paws.

Asuma's paws burned when he quickly stood up. He made sure to stand over the bloody scratches in the ground. He frowned at Natin, slightly raising a brow in annoyance.

"What?"

It looked for a moment that Natin might ask about his injuries, but instead he blinked and announced that the lionesses had brought down a zebra. "If you wanna eat you better-"

"I'm not hungry."

Natin looked skeptical. "Oh?"

Asuma's frown deepened as he sat down. He flicked the end of his tail, waiting for Natin to continue. Natin wasn't in the habit of calling him to dinner.

Natin made a face as he said, "It's Kovu. He's gonna speak with us."

"About what?"

Natin's expression of concern deepened, and before long Asuma felt his expression soften to mirror his cousin's.

"What? What is it? He wants to discuss plans for when he gets to the Pride Lands, doesn't he?"

Natin made a face again. "I'd imagine so..."

Nervous, Asuma scoffed. "You imagine? What else could it be then?"

The darker-furred lion stared back at him for a moment. Then, with a dismissive sound, Natin shook his head. "Nah, I think I'm... I'm just letting my mind get the best of me."

Asuma's face flushed in irritation. "Natin, now is not the time to let your mind play tricks on you."

Natin straightened up. "Right... It was dumb. Sorry, cousin."

_Don't be, _Asuma thought, but he bit his tongue. Now he certainly needed to have a private chat with Natin.

Natin jerked his head and turned. "Hey. This way."

Wincing on his tender paws, Asuma followed.

_"Just letting my mind get the best of me..."_

With a grimace behind Natin's back, Asuma hoped Natin's suspicions were not sound. They were so close.

_That's why you don't count your battles won before you've entered the fight... but this isn't a battle I plan on losing._

88888

They had gone back to find Kovu waiting patiently for them. When he had seen that Natin had brought Asuma with him, the old rogue had motioned with the stump of his tail for them to follow him away from the rest of the pride. Asuma had hesitantly glanced around, as had Natin, and they had noticed that Sauda was busy picking meat out of her gnarled teeth. When she didn't look up, it was clear she was completely unaware that Kovu was excluding her from whatever he had to discuss.

They followed Kovu silently into the night until they were far away from the slobbering of beasts as they devoured their zebra carcass. Asuma walked closely next to Natin, and though they weren't touching, the younger lion could feel the tension oozing off Natin's body.

_I don't think Natin was imaging things... something's up._

Then, in the next moment, he had an epiphany as he fixed his gaze on Kovu's bare back.

_We're alone with Kovu._

"Patience," Natin suddenly whispered in his ear, as if something on his face had given him away.

Asuma tried hard not to growl in frustration. Attacking Kovu, right then and there, would get it over quicker, but it was also the quickest way to getting killed. Not only would they most likely cause enough noise to alert the lionesses, but it would also be Tanga's death sentence. Even if they struck fast and quick, at least one of the lionesses must have seen them go off alone with their leader. He didn't need Natin to tell him that.

Clearing his throat, Kovu stopped walking abruptly and turned to them.

The pair of younger lions halted as well.

"Kovu, you wanted to talk with us?" Natin asked.

Kovu nodded and sat down. "Yes, I wanted to talk to you about our plans."

"Of course, sir. What is it?"

"Tomorrow evening," Kovu began, "we will have the hunt. Then we will make the trek to the border of the Pride Lands where we will regroup and plan our attack. Sauda wishes to keep our momentum and head straight for Pride Rock and take them by surprise. Stopping, she believes, would waste time."

Natin looked around, seemingly for the sake of it. "Well, I'm just guessing here, but I suppose that's not what we're gonna do since she wasn't invited to this meeting?"

Kovu nodded. Almost imperceptibly, the old rogue sighed. "She's brash and can't comprehend anything beyond the end result. She's a strike force, not a planner."

Glancing at Natin, Asuma knew he wanted to say something nasty, but luckily his cousin held his tongue.

"But her lionesses are strong fighters. If we go to battle for the throne," Kovu continued, "then we'll need them."

_If?_ Asuma narrowed his eyes.

Kovu then turned his attention to Asuma. There was a smile on his face. "There are other ways to get what we want, right?"

Uncertainly, Asuma slowly nodded. He felt Natin's eyes on him as Kovu continued.

"Chaka's the only one we're after," he said, "we don't need to drag the rest of the pride down with him. They won't be a problem once he's out of the way."

Asuma stiffened, and at his side he felt Natin do the same.

"Father, what are you saying?"

"Tomorrow night, when you and Tanga are hunting," Kovu said to the light furred lion, "Natin and I will find an excuse to slip off into the night."

_What?_

Natin stammered, "Wait... we're gonna do wha-"

"We'll leave them behind! And we can use the hunt as a distraction. We can use the night as cover."

"But... A distraction for what now?"

"We're taking the Pride Lands without the lionesses. We _don't_ need these rogues to win!"

Kovu then grinned widely at Asuma. His eyes glistening in the moonlight.

"Right, son?"

_"You can't trust someone who has an insatiable appetite. You were trained as an assassin. I keep wondering why you haven't returned to Pride Rock and taken Chaka out. We don't need these rogues to win."_

His heart started to hammer in his chest. Faintly, Asuma recalled the words he had scathingly said to Kovu the morning before. He was still unsure of why he had spoken like that in the first place, why he had immediately walked away afterwards. He was angry with Kovu for being so selfish and blind. He was also frustrated with Natin's deliberate stalling. Maybe, deep down, those words had been more carefully chosen than he thought? Maybe he had wanted to torment Kovu into taking a less passive aggressive route? Drive him down some path that would force Natin to react as well? Now, he certainly saw the amount of influence he had over Kovu.

Natin snarled angrily, his ears pressed against his head. He sprung to his paws. "Have you finally lost your mind?"

Asuma's eyes widened.

Kovu rose to his paws as well and charged forward. "Listen, you-"

Scrambling backwards with a nervous growl, Natin bared his teeth and lowered his body slightly to ground.

Asuma cringed and closed his eyes, anticipating the attack he hoped would and wouldn't happen then and there. He opened his eyes after a moment when he could only hear the heavy pants of his father, and saw that Kovu was standing a whisker's length in front of him with his back arched, the hairs along his spine raised.

A smug look pinched Kovu's face. He had stopped himself from physically punishing Natin for speaking out. "We're only after one lion," he snapped instead, "and that's Chaka. We've wasted enough time."

"You're talking about a suicide mission," Natin argued. "The pride-"

"No, Natin," Asuma finally spoke up, cutting Natin off.

Natin's blue eyes widened for a moment before he glared hard at Asuma. "You-"

"_Natin_," Asuma stressed, holding his glare firmly as he spoke. He turned towards his cousin and took a step forward. "We'll find a way to ambush him instead. It would be less messy and nobody else would be involved. He won't know what's hit him."

Realization dawned on Natin's face.

_Exactly..._

"My son is right, Natin," Kovu said. "We'll be putting our skills to use. Remember everything that I've taught you?"

"Yeah, I see now. It makes sense." Natin straightened up slowly, glancing between him and Kovu. "The lionesses will try to track us, but there's a river I know that we can cross," he remarked. "That will throw them off. The big herds drink from it. It's a few days out of the way, but we can do it."

Inwardly, Asuma was grinning. He scarcely listened as Natin and Kovu discussed how careful they needed to be, how the darkness would be their greatest advantage, and just how well Tanga would be able to work with the plan. Natin would tell her about it once they returned to the camp.

Asuma turned to Kovu. He had one last thing to ask. "Are you certain they do not know the way to the Pride Lands?" he said.

Kovu nodded again. "Without us, they'll wander. Even knowing the general direction will do nothing for them once we lose them at the river."

Asuma smirked. "Good."

Kovu then turned to him. The old rogue's expression was soft, certainly very fatherly.

Asuma couldn't help but blink. The smirk faltered on his face. _I don't think he's ever looked at me that way... Natin did say he's not right in the-_

"Son, we're gonna make this right again," Kovu said, "You're finally gonna get what you deserve." He then looked away for a second. More quietly, he added, "I know I wasn't there to see you grow up... but I hope this will help make it up to you. We'll do this together."

It took every bit of energy to trick the muscles in his face to draw out a sweet smile.

"Right, Father," he said earnestly. "We are in this together."

..._But this ends with you..._

88888

Letting out a soft sigh, Kiara slowly opened her eyes and twitched her nose. The sky was still dark, but by the stillness of the cool, sweet air, she could tell the night was losing its grip little by little. She was uncertain as to why she had woken in the middle of the night. She had had no nightmares to speak of, nor did she believe she had heard a noise. Throughout the den, she could hear the soothing, rhythmic breathing and quiet snoring of her pridemates. Hours would pass before any of them bothered to crack an eyelid.

Kiara lifted her head away from the body-warmed stone floor and glanced around, making sure nothing else besides some internal factor had woken her. When she was satisfied, she pushed herself to sit up while she yawned deeply. Then, when she looked over at the vacant, lifeless spot next to her, her ears lowered and her shoulders sagged.

_Maybe again someday, I won't have to wake up alone..._ she thought with a tired sigh.

Closing her eyes tightly, the lioness turned her face away. She then stood and walked to the mouth of the den where she spied Chaka's peaceful silhouette. For a moment, she paused and watched from a few lengths away as he slept. He was curled up with his paws tucked under his chin, his sides rising and falling slowly and deeply. The various muscles on his face that were tense during the day were softened by his slumber. She wondered if he had looked like that when he was a young cub, so unaware of the troubles his future held.

_I hope one day you can be even half as untroubled, brother. I wish that for all of us..._

Kiara silently continued past Chaka. Once outside, she turned and began to climb to the very top of Pride Rock. The path was steep, worn, and narrow, but just going to the presentation point felt... empty. As a cub, she remembered her father and how he'd taken her there one morning to see the sunrise and all of the Pride Lands. Then, everything as far as she had been able to see had been cast in gold. Looking across the flat stone once she had reached the top, she sat down and scanned the moon-bleached land. After taking a moment to clear her mind, she found herself noting just how devoid of sound the night was. There was no rustling of breeze-blown grass, no hiccuping calls coming from the zebra herds, no elephant trumpets, and no shrill squawks or trilling birdsong.

_Like every tiny fly to the tallest giraffe senses that changes are coming._

Chaka had been relentlessly drilling the pride's lionesses, and the day before had been the worst yet. Along with various, simple combat moves he had them practice with the former Outsider lionesses, he also had them running laps and climbing all over Pride Rock to build their stamina. Though she didn't agree exactly with what her brother was doing, she made it a point to join in and act as an example to the rest of her tired and sore pride. Stupidly, she thought, Chaka also continued to threaten the lionesses with death in battle if they weren't prepared. Kiara knew that death occurred in battle, but did her best to console the increasingly frustrated lionesses. The longer they lived with the anticipation of battle- if there even would be one- the higher chance there would be for the lionesses to suddenly put their paws down. The last thing they needed was for the entire pride to abandon Chaka and leave for calmer lands.

_But what if all of this is pointless? We can only do so much. If Kovu shows up with his lionesses, can we really do anything to stop him from spilling the blood of each and every member of our pride?_

This thought was familiar to Kiara, and it tended to plague her every waking moment. She knew that every lioness in the pride was thinking that same horrible thought. She _knew_ they were going about things the wrong way.

_But then... what's the right way?_

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Kiara closed her eyes for a moment before she lifted her gaze to the winking stars. She waited patiently for something... _anything_ to happen. She would've been delighted just with one lonely star streaking across the sky. If the tales of the Great Kings of the Past were true, why was nobody helping them? Surely, they wouldn't want them to die, so why hadn't they intervened? Kiara was desperate for someone to help them, someone to turn to who knew all the answers. She knew Chaka was wrong. She knew she was doing something wrong, too. She wanted someone to tell her what to do.

_Daddy... Mom..._

The pain she felt for her dead parents stabbed at her gut. More than anything she wanted to be a cub again. As much as she had loathed it, she would have given anything then and there for someone aside from Chaka to give her an order. Even a stupid one. She wished sorely for someone to drop the answers in front of her, and she wondered what her parents would have done in her place. Would they act differently? If so, how then? Somehow they had known what to do when they had faced Scar, even if they had made mistakes with Zira, and once in her life Kiara thought she had known the answers, too. Now... she felt she had lost those answers and made far too many mistakes.

_Maybe... maybe it's only me who can help me... maybe I have to start searching for the answers again..._

_"Don't give up!"_

Kiara perked her ears and straightened up. She had equal right to control the pride just as much as Chaka. In fact, she had more right. There had been no ceremony declaring him king. She had been instructed all her young life on how to be queen. She knew he saw her as little more than another subject, rather than an equal. More so, he treated the other lionesses like a hired army when they deserved nothing less than that to be treated as a beloved family. _She_ had been the one who had brought them and made them stand together!

Frowning, Kiara wilted with a huff.

_Still... I'm a leader who doesn't have all the answers that they need..._

Her eyes turned up to the sky again, and she asked herself what her son and daughter had been thinking when they had followed Natin, and why they had trusted their cousin in the first place. They had followed a stranger who, for all they knew, could have been leading them into a hostage situation. The only thing she could be certain of was that they knew the truth now, maybe more than she thought she herself knew. They also knew she had misled them, even if she had done it out of protection. She would've been outraged if her mother had kept secrets from her like the ones she'd kept from her children. Perhaps it had been their anger that had fueled them to act? She certainly feared the extent of Asuma's motives, wondering how much he had been struggling with alone over the years. They were going after their own _father_, for Great King's sake!

_Yet... they've put their lives in danger for a chance to save the pride, the end result of whatever they are feeling. They're doing something about it, and nobody gave them instructions but themselves._

A small breeze fluffed her fur, as if the night had sighed a breath in relief.

_...But I'm not going to find my answers sitting here at Pride Rock, waiting for them to fall down in front of me._

With a quick stretch, Kiara jumped to her paws and turned to climb back down to the den. Once inside the warm, dark space, she crept up to Suki. The younger lioness's cubs were resting in a pile at her side while she laid with her legs stretched out. Lightly, Kiara placed her paw on Suki's shoulder.

Suki groaned and stretched. She opened her eyes and took a moment to focus on the source of her wakefulness.

"Wha-? Kiar-"

Kiara stuck her paw on the lioness's mouth and hushed her. With a brief glance to confirm that nobody had been disturbed, she whispered into Suki's ear, "Follow me. Bring Isabis and Neo with you."

A crease formed between Suki's eyes.

"Please?" Kiara urged. "I have an idea."

Suki slowly stood up and yawned before bending down to whisper in her cubs' ears to wake them up. To Kiara's surprise, Isabis was just as silent as Neo, though from the moment she woke she was almost bouncing on her paws.

Nodding to Suki, Kiara motioned with her tail and led them quietly past Chaka. Kiara let the others pass her as she paused briefly, with one of her paws raised, to glance over her shoulder to the gaping mouth of the den where the rest of the pride would sleep well into the night.

"To truly lead my pride," she whispered determinedly, turning away, "I owe to them to find the answers."

88888

When they had returned to the camp that evening, Tanga was already fast asleep, as were most of the lionesses. Their bellies were grossly distended as they laid splayed out on the ground. Natin stopped a few lengths away from where Tanga rested. He sighed and let his legs buckle so he would flop onto the ground. He sighed tiredly. Behind his eyelids, he knew that Kovu had gone deeper into the band of lionesses while Asuma laid down within reaching distance. Tanga wasn't far away, either.

Shifting his sore muscles, Natin rested his chin on his crossed paws.

"Natin, we need to talk."

He flinched. His head snapped up and he frowned questioningly at Asuma, who was crouched over him.

"C'mon," his cousin whispered. He gestured with a jerk of his head.

Natin was sure he had fallen right asleep, but he didn't know how long for. With a yawn, he stood up and looked briefly around before following Asuma.

Silently, they walked back into the quiet darkness together. As they walked, Natin could feel that the sunrise wasn't too far away. He flared his nostrils, taking in the cool air. The night was peaceful, that was for sure.

_My nights probably won't be this peaceful after tomorrow..._ he thought with a grimace.

"Natin."

Natin paused and looked back over his shoulder. Behind him a few lengths, he noticed that Asuma had stopped, and he turned back around to sit down with his cousin.

He stifled another yawn as he asked, "What did you wanna talk about?"

"First, I need to know what happened with you and my sister. Neither of you said a word to each other today, so you can't pretend."

Natin frowned and flicked his tail. Inwardly, he chided himself for being so transparent. He should have forced Tanga into talking to him. He hadn't been thinking.

"We just had a little argument, that's all."

Asuma pressed, "About what?"

Natin shrugged indifferently. "Differences in opinion."

Asuma narrowed his eyes and was quiet for a moment. "Natin. I hope you still differ in opinion."

"Asuma, of course," he replied. His heart was fluttering slightly in his chest. "Do you think I don't know what needs to be done?"

The momentary silence unnerved him, but with a nod it was apparent the answer he'd given had been satisfactory. The younger lion sat there looking thoughtful.

Nervously, Natin yawned again and stretched, pushing himself to his paws. "If that's all we're gonna discuss, then how about we try to get some more sleep, alright?"

Asuma shook his head. "No, sit back down. I'm not finished."

Natin raised a brow. "Oh? Really now..."

"Yes, really now."

With a shrug, Natin sat down.

"What was that? With Kovu?"

Natin frowned and eyed Asuma skeptically. "I'm not sure what you're talkin' about."

"You called him crazy and he lunged at you," Asuma snapped. "That's what I'm talkin' about. You can't do that."

Natin felt his face flush. "Hey," he said, narrowing his eyes, "I wasn't the one who challenged him into suddenly growing a conscious. Now he's changed plans on us."

Asuma mirrored his glare. "For the better, Natin, you _know_ that. I was surprised you reacted like that, and even more surprised when you didn't see the opportunity more quickly."

"Caught me off guard."

"Well don't do that then. _Don't_ get caught off guard again," Asuma growled. "That's why I'm concerned."

Natin opened his mouth to defend himself, but his tight throat took hold of his words like a vice. All he could do was stare back at Asuma, but even then he couldn't stand to do that for too long. Guiltily, he watched his claws churn up the dirt.

Asuma sighed. Almost comfortingly, he said, "We're in this together. You told me that, didn't you? Right?"

All he could do was nod. His heart skipped a beat as he shot Asuma a fleeting glance.

"Then what's your problem? Natin."

The ice in Asuma's voice made him shiver as he forced himself into looking up to meet his cousin's judging gaze. After a while, he realized he was holding his breath. There was a ringing in his ears, and the silence of the night deafened him.

His face then flushed with anger.

Quietly, Natin said, "I'm not gonna say what my problem is because surely you already know... You've always known."

Asuma barely skipped a beat. "You're a coward."

The voice at the back of Natin's mind instantly demanded that he attack Asuma, to make him eat his words. To call Asuma out as he dug his claws into his hide. Though the words weren't any less than true- he knew that- they still cut _deep_. He couldn't kill, even for his mother. He knew also he'd never have the strength to turn on Asuma like that.

Asuma started to smirk.

But then Natin thought, _it takes a coward to know a coward..._

"Asuma, have you stopped once to question if we're really in the right?"

The smirk faltered and turned into a glare. "Of course we're in the right, Natin. He's a killer."

Natin's jaw tensed and his ears pressed against his thick mane. "But... if we..." he stammered. "If we do this we'll become-"

"No!" Asuma snarled and jumped to his paws. "We're _nothing_ like him! Do you hear me? _NOTHING!_"

_"You'll go down with him if you do this."_

_ "Your father-"_

_ "No, not just my father. Asuma, too."_

_ "What can you expect? We're trying to find a solution. Our elders weren't doing a whole heck of a lot!"_

_ "So you concoct an elaborate, insane plan to take care of things?"_

_ "As I recall, you were the one who suggested the elaborate, crazy plan."_

_ "I didn't think you'd buy it!"_

"Natin!" Asuma snapped.

His whole body was shaking now, his face pinched in pent-up frustration and anger. He felt, as he tucked his chin into his chest, that he was folding in on himself, becoming smaller and more helpless... like he had the day his mother had died. He clenched his eyes shut tight. He had been unable to admit his fears to _Lewa_, and now he had exposed himself to Asuma.

"Natin! Nat-"

The words burst from his mouth. "I don't wanna kill him!"

"I don't care if you don't wanna," Asuma snarled, "we have to, so suck it up! We're standing between him and the pride!"

A cold sweat broke out all along his body as Natin urged, "But now we're only standing between him and Chaka!" He was panting. "What if we bring him to Pride Rock. Alive. We can bring him to justice-"

"No. That's not good enough!"

Natin's eyes widened. "You think that killing him is going to solve all your problems?"

"No, it isn't about me, stupid, everyone's prob-"

"No!" Natin lip curled and again the urge arose to jump Asuma. He was struggling and losing the battle to keep calm as he blurted, "I'm not talkin' about everyone, I'm talkin' about _you._ You'll become a monster, Asuma."

Asuma's eyes widened.

Natin lashed his tail. "I hate to say it, but you _are_ becoming a monster!"

Asuma's jaw dropped and his ears lowered. For a moment, it looked like he had become frozen, shocked right back into reality. Soon, however, to Natin's disappointment, Asuma expression blackened and his head lowered aggressively. "If that means that he's paid for his crimes..." he sneered, "I don't think I'll mind it too much."

His claws dug at the ground. Natin felt more helpless when his voice cracked. "It's too high a price, Asuma, and we can't undo it. Why does violence have to be the answer?"

_I can't believe I just said that..._

As Asuma stared blankly at him, he rolled his shoulders and growled. He stormed around Asuma. "I refuse to lay a paw on him. Do what you want."

"Oh, goody..."

Natin gritted his teeth at the taunt, but he kept walking.

Asuma scoffed behind him. The younger lion called, "Has _somebody_ grown a _conscious?_ Or has he forgotten who murdered his mother..."

Natin bristled and stopped in his tracks. With a growl, he was unable to resist the urge to turn around. "Who are you to tell me what is right and what isn't? Or to tell me to suck it up," he snarled. He started back towards his cousin, eying him. "Look at you... you haven't even grown into your body yet. And you know what? All this time you've only seen me as a fool. Now you're upset because, as it turns out, your puppet has teeth. Why don't I just train you myself to do Kovu in?"

Natin could smell the anger as it rolled off of Asuma.

When his cousin didn't respond, Natin snorted in disgust. "What? No takers?"

"We don't have time for that."

"You haven't _once _asked me to train you, and I offered."

Asuma lifted his chin and puffed out his mane. "I could do it."

"No, the distinction is do you_ think_ you could do it, Asuma. It's not that you, deep down, know it's wrong, or that you don't wanna dirty your paws- unless I've _really _been underestimating you this entire time, then otherwise congratulations are in order. I'd almost have more respect for you in that case. But no! It's that you _fully_ believe that you're physically incapable of getting the job done. You fester in your weakness. That's what you do. You can't pull the trigger, even though the longer you wait, the more your hatred grows for him. So then you saw that your big, strong, vengeful cousin was up to the task and you jumped right on board."

Asuma was shuddering, his eyes wide. "It's not like-"

"Yes it is!"

Asuma flinched. He looked away, frowning hard. The growing moisture in the younger lion's eyes was as clear as day.

Natin shook his head, his lip curling. He lowered his eyes to the ground. "I saw your eagerness a mile off," he said, more in control. "I should have quit being a scared little cub and done it myself."

He then lifted his gaze and glared hard at Asuma. He thought of the blood he had seen on his cousin's tattered paws that evening.

The anger that pulsed through his body was evident in his voice when he said, "Now I've involved _you_."

Asuma sniffed and blinked hard, still looking away from a moment. When he opened his eyes and was glaring back full in the face, he croaked, "Well, it's the least you can do to help me."

"Through _murder?_"

"No, no, no," Asuma croaked, shaking his head, "you're not seeing the whole picture."

"Then are you gonna explain it to me, Asuma? _Explain_ this big picture you've got formed in your head."

The muscles in Asuma's jaw jumped. "Do you remember how it was when we were cubs?" he began.

Natin's heart fluttered.

"You were the brave, strong, charismatic one, and I just so happened to be the son of the king and queen. You were perfect, and you were destined to outshine me when we came to the throne with Tanga. I was constantly teased by you-"

"It was all in fun," Natin put in. His stomach felt like it was trying to kill him. He wasn't surprised by what Asuma was saying, but it still horrified him.

"Fun? No, not to me. An-and we always had to do what you wanted to do-"

Natin closed his eyes and started to shake his head.

"-because that's what Tanga wanted to do, to follow you around like some m-mindless-"

"Get to the point!"

Asuma's eyes widened in surprise. He then glared at Natin and again he lowered his head threateningly. "I'm in the position I am now because you tricked Tanga and I into going hunting with you that day. I wouldn't have gotten lost, and I wouldn't have found Kovu, right in the act of burying my grandfather."

"You can't blame others for your own decisions, Asuma."

In response, there was a malicious gleam in his cousin's eye.

Natin frowned. "What? So now it's time for you to collect a debt?"

"It's mutually beneficial to us both."

"Asuma!" Natin cried, exasperated. "What are we gonna do after Kovu is dead and we survive? What are _you_ gonna do?"

Asuma's lip curled.

"And what about Isabis?"

"What about her?" Asuma snapped.

"And Tanga? You haven't _once_ thought of her."

With Kovu's training, Natin easily saw it coming, and back-stepped away from Asuma when he swung his paw to hit him. The weaker lion stumbled on his paws and grunted in frustration.

"Shut up, Natin, just shut up!"

Natin stood on the offense, ready if he decided to try again. "You're acting like a child, Asuma."

"This conversation changes nothing! Kovu still needs to be stopped. He'll slaughter them all if he gets the chance, you've said that over and over again. We have to stop him!"

Natin felt his chest tighten. Despite of everything Tanga had tried to tell him, and despite his fears, there was no escaping their ultimate decision to assassinate Kovu. The rogue was planning his escape in a day... and then they would be alone with him. It would be their last opportunity to take matters into their own paws, and as much as he disliked Chaka he knew he couldn't allow him to fight Kovu. And as much as he hated Asuma for pushing him to it...

He was trapped.

He set Asuma in a hard glare, which the younger lion returned ten-fold. "You're right, Asuma," he said, his tone mocking. "You're nothing but right."

Asuma curled his lip, his teeth peeking through.

"But just so you know, dear cousin... I'm not doin' this for you or for myself. I'm doing this for my pride, even if most of them don't deserve it... including you. I'm the most capable, and I can't afford to let them down."

Natin turned away and headed back towards the camp.

"Only sick cowards need an ambush to win a fight, right, Natin?"

Natin stiffened and stopped again in his tracks at Asuma's taunt. It was the same thing he had told Asuma and Tanga when they had first heard Simba had supposedly been ambushed by rogues. Gritting his teeth, he contemplated turning around to finally give Asuma the beating he was clearly asking for.

_It won't do us any good... Unfortunate as it is, you need him tomorrow. You wouldn't wanna make it harder for him to fight, hmmm?_

"Fine then, you keep walking. Just make sure to keep your word!"

Natin closed his eyes. _And you call me the sick coward..._

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_**A lot of the unspoken subtext that's been floating around previously came to the surface in this chapter, that's for sure. Like I said, I don't know when the next update will be, but I'm working on it. Please review…? :3**_


	30. The Stars Shall Align Themselves

**A/N:**

**Okay! Here's your monthly update! I would have updated last Wednesday, but I wanted to pre-write out the next several chapters and I wasn't going to post this until I did. ;)**

Frost, overnight, had settled on the grass, chilling it and turning it white. The idea that she had to leave her warm spot on the ground made Tanga bury her face deeper into her paws. Bodies around her were beginning to stand up and mill around. They would be leaving soon.

A muzzle nudged her near her ear, causing her to groan. It surprised her when she heard her father's voice.

"Time to wake up."

Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked up at him with an arched brow. The dark-maned lion was standing over her, the pale, morning sky behind him. He was smiling.

_Maybe I don't wanna wake up._

Her father chuckled and bent down to nudge her cheek again. "Are you sore?"

"A little, I guess."

"Don't worry, our pace can be slower today. We're not too far from the herds, Natin says."

_Maybe I don't wanna do what Natin says..._

Before her expression could change and again give her thoughts away, she forced a smile. "Don't think we have to go slow just because of me," she quipped.

He chuckled.

She sat up and stretched. Looking around, she spotted Asuma sitting at the edge of the group. When he looked back at her with a forced-into-patience look on his face, she felt her lip twitch in irritation.

"The sunrise looks beautiful this morning. Doesn't it?"

Tanga turned back to her father and saw that his face was turned to the east. The sky was pale golden-yellow with a hint of pink. The purple-rimmed clouds were stained in a darker shade of tawny gray. On the cool air she could hear birdsong.

_By the next sunrise..._

"I'll make sure Chaka gets what's coming to him. Won't that be a relief?"

When her breathing stopped for a second, she was relieved that he wasn't looking at her face. "Yeah," she managed to reply. "It's... it's been rough on Asuma."

Her father sighed deeply, as if he had been holding his breath, too, before receiving her answer. "Well... I'm hoping it'll get easier for Asuma," he said. Then he added, "I'll make sure of that, too."

Behind her, Tanga heard someone softly clear his throat. When she looked over her shoulder and saw it was Natin, she frowned at him. As quietly as possible, she whispered, "What do you want?"

He mouthed, "Talk. Now."

She shook her head.

A look of irritation crossed her cousin's face. His brow lowered into a firm, pointed glare, his mouth then setting into a thin line.

Her stomach started to ache as she stared back at Natin. Knowing full-well that he wasn't leaving until he knew she was following after him, she glanced at her father. He hadn't taken his eyes off the sunrise. She looked back at Natin, who arched his brows and jerked his head.

_What do you want?_

With one last brief glance at an oblivious Kovu, biting her lip, she turned to follow Natin.

Moving to walk at her side, he whispered, "The plan has changed."

She narrowed her eyes, refusing to look at him. Reluctantly, she asked, "How so?"

He was leading her towards Asuma. "For the better."

"And what's that mean?"

"Kovu came to me and Asuma with a proposal last night."

"Since he's still alive," she began cuttingly, "I bet you'll say you liked his proposal."

He gave a soft growl. "Yeah," he replied. "We're ditching the lionesses."

Her stomach flip-flopped. "_We're_ what?"

"Shhh!" Natin hissed. "Keep your voice down."

By now, they'd made it over to Asuma. Her brother stood up. "Are you telling her the plan?"

"Just about to."

Tanga then glanced over her shoulder, looking for her father. He was done looking at the sunrise, but seemed to be distracted by Sauda.

"Tanga."

She turned back to her brother and cousin. "Huh?"

Asuma motioned with a nod to their father. "Listen closely and ignore him," he instructed. "We're not making our move during the hunt anymore."

She frowned, perking her ears. "When then?"

"Your father's big plan," Natin began, "is to disappear into the herd and then the four of us will make a break to the river. He's coming with us, but then we can isolate him between the river and the Pride Lands. He trusts us more than I thought, and he plans leave the pride alone and go for Chaka."

_So you're gonna exploit that trust._

"You'll tell me when and I'll run," she said, raising her chin slightly, "and then you'll do... you know. Quickly. Decisively."

Natin was biting his tongue when all he did was nod at her remark.

"Yes, you'll wait for the signal," Asuma told her. "Nothing else changes for you. Natin and I will take care of everything. Right?"

"Yeah..." Natin replied. It was obvious when he glanced down at his paws. "...Right."

Asuma lowered his voice, coming closer. He looked at them both. "We're all in this together. We're almost there. Don't give up on this now."

Tanga noticed when he straightened up that Natin ever-so-slightly leaned away from her brother.

Asuma continued. "We'll move on and in time everybody will gladly forget about this."

Tanga knew then the Asuma she'd known back in the Pride Lands had only been a fraction of the young lion she knew now, and she sensed there was still more behind the face he chose to show her. The face that kept her ignorant. She _knew_ there was more.

_You think everyone will forget, Asuma,_ she thought to herself, _and I can guarantee the one lion who deserves to forget the most will never let any of this go._

"Kovu is looking right at us. It must be time to go."

Natin immediately stood up, his attention already elsewhere. He said quickly as he walked away, "I'll go tell him Tanga's heard the plan now."

Tanga raised a brow at Natin's abruptness. She then glanced at Asuma, who's narrowed gaze was focused on their cousin's back. She asked quietly, "Did you two... have an argument?"

Blinking and lightening his expression, Asuma shook his head. "No. I think he's nervous or something. I thought he was acting odd, too."

"Oh... I guess..." Tanga frowned thoughtfully. Surely, she hadn't been imagining what she'd observed? She knew Natin was upset with her after their fight, but the way he had reacted to Asuma's presence made her curious. There was a lump in the pit of her stomach. She sensed that she had been lied to, but before she could question him further, Asuma was already walking away.

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Behind Chaka, he could hear heavy, collective panting. He had instructed the lionesses to take a break from battle training, and was walking back to the den to make sure that Kiara and Suki hadn't slipped inside to rest after disappearing with the cubs all morning.

He'd never seen such reckless behavior.

_I don't know where they are- they could be dead for all I know!_

He stood at the mouth of the den and peered inside, squinting with his good eye. He perked his ears and flared his nostrils. The interior was dark, and as he went in further, there was a definite drop in temperature.

The hair along his spine stood on end when he heard the shuffling of paws and thought he saw a shadowy figure move.

He snarled, his whole body on edge. "Who's there?"

His claws slid out of his toes.

"Don't worry." The lanky figure started towards him. The sound of a dull thud of a stick bounced off the rock walls. "I won't hurt you if you don't hurt me."

"Tswane," Chaka said neutrally, though he felt his muscles relax. He watched skeptically as the mandrill shaman half-walked, half-hopped out of the shadows. "If you expected me to hurt you, you shouldn't hide in the dark," he added.

"What made you think I'd let you hurt me?"

Chaka felt his lip twitch, not in a grimace or a frown, but in a smirk. To hide his amusement, he growled and rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"

The mandril crossed his feet at his ankles and leaned into his staff. One of his paws was wrapped around the very top, just above the dried gourds and decorated it. "I came to check on my pride," he said. "I've heard you currently have them on a exercise program."

"It's necessary, and I'm not gonna justify it to you because you already know my reasoning."

"Though must it be so brutal?"

"Of course!" Chaka lashed his tail. "Without preparation, we'll be torn to pieces. They may complain- but they know I'm right."

"Ah," Tswane said musingly. He diverted his attention to pick at a loose tendril on his staff. "I see now."

Curling his lip, Chaka turned to look out from the mouth of the den. Down below Pride Rock, he could see the lionesses. Young and old, they were all lying down, and the majority were resting on their sides with their legs splayed out. Some had their eyes closed. He had been drilling them since the sun had risen just above the line of the horizon. It was a little after midday now.

"Are you here to taunt me?" he asked Tswane. "If that's you're only reason, I ask you to leave."

"No, no, I'm not all about the taunting. I have other business, too."

Chaka's jaw tensed. "Then speak."

"Queen Kiara came to me this morning. Before sunrise. She had another lioness and two cubs with her."

"Where are they now? Did they tell you?"

"Yes, they told me," Tswane said. "They've gone to visit Tojo's pride in the south."

Chaka frowned in thought. "Well, why would they do that? Tojo turned me down. I know she knows that because she complained about it."

"That, I cannot tell you."

"What?" His face flushed in anger when he sent a wilting glare over his shoulder at the irritatingly unfazed mandrill. There were few Chaka couldn't get a rise out of to match him, and Tswane was just grinning goofily back at him. "What do you mean you're not gonna tell me?"

"Not 'not gonna'," Tswane explained with a shrug, "I can't because Kiara didn't tell me."

He scoffed at this. _Figures._

The mandril rubbed his chin and took a few steps closer. He rolled a long finger in a curl of dark fur. "I'd bet she has some sort of a plan."

Turning his back on his unwelcome guest, he couldn't help himself when he sneered, "Right." He glared sightlessly out across the savannah, his ears pressed into his mane.

"It's a _real_ shame, Chaka, that _you_ don't trust her." The wooden thump of the staff announced his approach. He stopped at Chaka's side.

"I give her all the trust that she deserves," Chaka replied levelly.

"So she only deserves a little?"

"Her mate wants to kill me- he already took one of my damned eyes- and all responsibility of protecting this pride fell on me when he left. This is my inheritance," he replied. Stubbornly, he continued to glare straight ahead at nothing in particular. "How I ran things around here seemed perfectly okay with her up until her children decided to run off. All of a sudden now she acts like she cares, and when she cares, it's to tell me that I'm wrong, but doesn't bother to say why."

"Do you ask her to speak freely?"

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, do you ever ask for her council? Is her advice so unwarranted? Would she listen to you if you told her what you just told me?"

He hesitated. His gaze dropped to his paws. "A few days ago, we talked," he began, "and I asked her to tell me how she makes decisions. I know I was too vague, but she didn't tell me what I was doing wrong, how to fix the situation. I didn't understand, even when she told me that she does what she thinks is right for everybody. Then she said something about not being selfish- I don't know... And yet she's upset with me for wanting to kill Kovu. She thinks I'll destroy myself. But he's a threat to everybody, so I'm doing what I think is right. I'm protecting everything my father worked for. But then it's wrong. I can't win."

"Do you think you're wrong?"

Adamantly, he shook his head. He wasn't sure why he had opened up to Tswane like he had.

Tswane started to chuckle.

Chaka's eyes snapped to glower at the shaman, who was practically shaking with laughter. He snapped, "Are you laughing at me?"

Tswane put a paw on his trembling chest. Slowly, he calmed his chuckling. "Forgive me, Chaka," he said with a sigh. He was grinning as he said, "You say that you're right, and yet you ask her for the answers. You're changing, but at the same time you refuse to change."

The big lion glared harder at the mandrill.

Tswane rubbed the corner of his eye. "I think that you think she's holding out on you... maybe for Kovu's benefit."

His lip began to twitch.

Tswane grinned wider. He swung his stick so that it poked Chaka in the chest. "What would you say if I told you that she's not holding out on you because she doesn't know the right answers herself? And maybe now she's going to find them?"

Chaka blinked. Was it possible?

He then looked away.

"I have my doubts," he muttered.

The tension in the cave rose, and Tswane refused to break the silence for several long moments before the mandrill finally, cautiously, placed a paw on the big lion's shoulder.

"Look, Chaka," he said quietly. "I don't know as much about your past as Rafiki did, but I know you were not raised here. This is your life now, and you can choose who you want to be."

Chaka gritted his teeth and wrinkled his nose despite the feelings that told him he should listen more closely to Tswane. "I choose... I choose to protect this pride. Any way possible."

Tswane's paw slid down his shoulder until it resumed its light grip on his staff. There was a quiet sigh, perhaps of defeat, from the mandril.

For a moment, the urge arose to say something to Tswane. Chaka could see what the mandrill was doing, and he knew he was purposely lowering his discretion about it. He was forcing him to think. Chaka closed his eyes and remained silent instead.

He'd been an amnesiac. The pride that had raised him had thought he was stupid and hadn't treated him any differently from the day they'd found him until the day he decided he'd had enough and had departed. He also knew they'd treated him differently purely because he was the token outsider. But, aside from expecting the most he could give them, to not be a burden, they hadn't been especially cruel to him. He had endured less cruelty, in fact, than the other young lions who'd been born into the warrior pride. To them, he'd just... existed. At times, they'd gone out of their way to remind him they were doing him a favor by allowing him to live, but to that day he wasn't sure why they'd been so tolerant of him. If he'd become a burden, however, he knew without a doubt they would've abandoned him. He'd learned quickly to earn his keep.

Looking back, he knew food, water, and protection hadn't been enough to satisfy all the needs of a young, albeit confused, lion. One or two lionesses had played foster parents, but it hadn't been customary for mothers in the pride to show their own cubs affection. Emotions were seen as a weakness and were discouraged.

_Once you start thinking with your heart it all blows up in your face..._

The pride had been split into two; all males and very few select female warriors kept to themselves while the rest of the pride was responsible for the care of the youngest members in the pride. He remembered that at about a year old, male and female cubs alike were sent to train with their elders. After a few months, the softer females went back to their mothers.

A warrior was a warrior for life. Even though he had wanted it, Chaka had been exempt from the training because of who he was, but he'd been allowed to learn from the females who had done the training. This had frustrated him, but left him less hardened than his peers. The realization dawned on him then that, what had been most glaring, was that he'd been emotionally starved. He'd been raised as a warrior, but hadn't been allowed to be one. From the time he'd had with his mother, he knew that some warmth and kindness had been instilled in him as a young cub, but he knew that hadn't been enough.

_I'm damaged..._

The decorations on Tswane's staff rattled and clanked. "I know it's just a piece of a tree, but I'm proud of this staff."

Chaka opened his eyes and raised a brow. "Yeah? So? It was Rafiki's, wasn't it? I remember him carrying it."

Tswane nodded. "Yes." The mandrill turned over the staff and cradled it between his upturned palms. "Actually, it was Rafiki's master's before it was mine, and Rafiki's master's _master's_ before him, and... you get the picture."

"Could probably find a sturdier stick than that." Chaka eyed it, observing the mottled orange of the dried gourds and the aged look of the dark wood. His eyes then met Tswane's as he added, "And it's not really yours."

Slowly, Tswane nodded in agreement. "I could throw it away, Chaka, and make a new one; keep it for myself." The end of the staff plonked on the rock with a thud. "But I won't, and chances are I'll pass it down from here as well. Sometimes it's better that way. Truthfully, this stupid, meaningless stick reminds me of Rafiki, and I know he wouldn't have given it to me if he didn't think I should have it. I never touched it until he gave it to me on his deathbed... well, that's a lie, but it was more like the staff touched me every time he caught me trying to grab it," the mandrill chuckled. "Do you know he beat Scar's hyenas with this?"

Chaka's brow raised skeptically. "Really?"

Tswane nodded and smiled. After a moment, he then turned and stepped out of the den. "Enjoy the rest of the day, Chaka."

Chaka's jaw tensed, but he forced himself to issue a farewell. "You, too."

The mandrill then paused and looked over his shoulder. Gesturing the spinning wave of a long finger, he added, "Oh, and promise me you'll welcome your sister back with open paws?"

Chaka hesitated. "I'll think about it."

Shrugging and lifting his paws, Tswane continued down the side of Pride Rock. "With you, that's a good enough response for me."

He shook his head and rolled his eyes while he watched the mandrill quickly disappear from sight. He then turned his attention back to the lionesses below, and saw they were exactly as they had been before.

Grimacing to himself, Chaka sat down.

_They can rest a little longer._

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"And _then..._ I jumped on him! He was so surprised! He didn't even see me comin'! Well, later he told me he did, but I know he's lying. He's a very good stalker, too, but I'm better! If I can't play with my brother, I like to stalk butterflies. Did you stalk 'em when _you_ were a cub? Do you _still_ stalk 'em? That would be funny! They're pretty hard to stalk."

A brown-and-gray-maned lion with golden fur smiled thinly and nodded his head. "Uh-huh..."

The blue-feathered bird on lion's shoulder rolled its eyes.

Kiara hid a smile when she glanced at Suki, who sat next to the queen with Neo at her paws.

Early that morning, before Chaka had even risen, Kiara had woken Suki and asked her to follow her. She had also asked her to bring Isabis and Neo with her. Sneaking out of the Pride Lands, the two lionesses had returned to one of the nearby prides that had turned Chaka away. At first, the dominate male, Tojo, had asked immediately upon sight for them to leave, but when he'd seen how tired Neo and Isabis looked, he'd allowed them to stay long enough to rest. It hadn't taken much for Isabis to perk back up, and now she had the aging lion's full, if not reluctant, attention.

_"Why are we doing this, Kiara? I thought you disliked Chaka for involving the other prides."_

_ "Chaka needs help. The presence of Tojo's force may make my brother more confident and willing to negotiate with Kovu if he has numbers on his side. If anything, it would make it easier to scare away the lionesses Tswane told us about if they get a look at the size of the pride. No matter what, we can't do this alone. We have to keep trying."_

_ "I hope you're right."_

_ "I hope so, too."_

"What kinds of things do you like to do, King Tojo? Like for fun?" Isabis then sprang to her paws, whipping her tail playfully. "Sometimes," she went on as she started to spin around, "I like to chase my tail, loike dis!"

"Very nice," Tojo remarked. "Now-"

As he stood up, the bird on his shoulder whispered something in his ear. Tojo whispered something back to his majordomo that Kiara couldn't hear.

"Hey!" Isabis exclaimed. She skidded to a stop at Tojo's paws. "Hey! Can I play with your bird? Is there more? I've heard you got lots more. Please?"

Tojo chuckled, taking a step back, but in the same motion he raised a paw to ruffle the top of the young lioness's head. "She certainly has a lot of energy."

Isabis ducked away from the king's paw with a shake of her head. "Hey! Can I play with that bird now?"

"Isabis, why don't you come over here?" Suki called her daughter.

"Awe," Isabis protested, her eyes locked on the fidgeting bird. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, please."

"Suki," Kiara said. She leaned into the younger lioness's ear. "I'm going to try speaking to Tojo."

Suki wrapped a paw around Isabis' shoulder when she finally came to her mother. Nodding, Suki stood and led the cubs away, leaving Kiara alone with a frowning Tojo.

Kiara wondered then if her idea had really been so great.

"I'm not stupid," Tojo scoffed when Suki and the cubs were scarcely out of earshot. "Your tactics are very obvious."

The young queen sighed. "I can't deny what you must think."

Tojo shook his head, making a face. "Does your brother know the meaning of the word no?"

Kiara did her best to hold the older lion's gaze. "I came by my own accord. If you say 'no' to anyone now, it's me."

Tojo blinked and frowned. "He didn't send you?"

"I'm just as capable as he is in the affairs of the pride," she replied amicably. She paused. "We still need your help, Tojo."

"You're just as capable at hearing my refusal then. Here, I'll say it again: no." Tojo shook his head. "Sending any one of my subjects to someone as temperamental as Chaka would be the quickest way to have them massacred."

Inwardly, Kiara cringed. She wondered what kinds of things Chaka had let fly when he'd heard Tojo's refusal.

The brown-maned lion lifted a paw to turn away from her.

"Wait! What if you don't have to deal with him, only me?"

"I won't help you either. I'm sorry."

"What if I wasn't looking for someone to fight our battle for us?"

"How are we of any use then?" He didn't bother to glance over his shoulder. "Did you get rid of Chaka?" he scoffed.

"No." She knew it would irritate the lion more to follow him, but she was too determined to give up. "I propose that you help me to help Chaka negotiate with Kovu. I can't let them draw blood."

The bird, now perched on Tojo's rippling back, mirrored the glare the lion shot over his shoulder. "I dun think y'know how war works, young lioness," the bird told her. "Blood's what th'whole affair's about."

Her face flushed when she glowered at the cheeky bird. "Yes, I know I'm still young, and I know I've never formally fought another lion in battle," she replied, "but I know the power of words. I also know that I owe it to Chaka to stop him from killing Kovu. He'll go mad if he does."

"You really are against him, aren't you?"

"No," she said firmly. "I'm helping him."

_I have to try and save somebody..._

"Let him help himself. If I were him, I would find what you're doing to be rather demeaning. He's a king after all."

Kiara's eyes widened. "So because he has a mane I'm supposed to sit back and let him and Kovu kill each other? And since when are kings too mighty to need help?"

Tojo paused and turned to look at her.

On his shoulder, the bird was leaning away. It said in a voice just above a whisper, "Sire, m'thinks you mistepped..."

It was surprising when the old lion's haughty expression turned to one of shame. His ears lowered. "I don't mean it like tha-"

"I know you knew my grandmother, Queen Sarabi," Kiara cut him off. "What would she do if you'd said that to her?"

Tojo seemed to cringe at her question, but after a moment he pointed out angrily, "For one thing, she would've come alone, Queen Kiara. Your parents wouldn't come to beg me, either."

A crease of uneasiness formed between her eyes as she held his glare. Under her fur she was blushing. Her jaw was tense when she said quietly, "I don't mean to beg... I really don't..." She shook her head, irritated at herself. "I thought you... could be more understanding. The others didn't know my parents as well as you did."

It felt like Tojo was looking down his nose at her. "Your parents knew how to solve their own problems. That's what I know."

She forced herself to say it out loud. "I can't solve this on my own, but at least I'm trying to. I'm not them. It's so much bigger than me, and this is the only way I know to help my pride. Repeatedly I'm treated to insults, however, instead of useful advice that could help out my pride."

"What about your shaman?"

"He won't interfere... or he might only know as much as I do."

Tojo's mouth pressed into a thin line. "Then what can I say? I can't read your mind."

She was glad he couldn't. She still didn't know what to say at first when she opened her mouth and was surprised by what came out. "I'm still getting used to trying again... honestly," she admitted. "I've given up for a long time. I thought the stars would align and you'd say something terrific that would answer any question I could think of. But there are no questions for you because I don't know what to ask or how to ask it."

Both Tojo and the bird seemed to do a double-take. "You don't know _why_ you're truly here, do you?"

The blue-eyed king then gestured with a tip of his chin.

"You brought that mother and her cubs with you. Why, Kiara?"

It took her a moment, averting her eyes from his accusing expression, to reply. "They're only part of it. I know what it looks like," she said, her voice quiet, "but I'd like to appeal to you not to give me sympathy, but to take my friend's cubs in. After my children and my nephew, who are missing right now, they're next in line for the throne. They're also the two of youngest members of our pride. Can you protect them?"

Tojo's jaw fell slightly. He looked from her to Suki, who was playing with her cubs.

"Please? Can't I ask you to do this one thing for my pride?"

His eyes narrowed slightly when he tilted his head to the side, searching for a trick he might be missing. "That's all you ask for at this time?"

She nodded. "I've already asked you everything else that I can ask."

Slowly, he began to nod. "Yes... I can protect them. But it's her decision."

Kiara's eyes widened. A heaviness seemed to lift off her chest. Her failure hadn't been total. Whispering her gratitude, she jogged over to the little family.

Suki frowned and her eyebrows arched in concern when she noticed Kiara. "He's asked us to leave?"

Realizing she was still in a daze, Kiara forced herself to smile. "He's turned me down... but..." Her smile started to soften. Glancing down at her paws, she then gestured with a jerk of her head as she turned back towards Tojo. "He has an offer for you, Suki."

The younger lioness tilted her head, her eyes widening. "Me?"

"Yes, come with me."

Looking at her children, who had paused to eye them curiously, Suki faltered.

Kiara renewed her smile. "It's alright. C'mon."

Still reluctant, Suki followed her to Tojo. When she grew closer to the golden-furred lion, she lowered her head slightly and looked anxious. "You wanted to see me, King Tojo?"

"Yes, I do," the lion said. He then nodded curtly to Kiara. "Your friend asks me to provide a safe haven for your cubs."

Suki gasped quietly, her ears perking.

"But only if you agree," he continued. "Keeping you from them isn't my intention."

Wide-eyed, Suki turned to Kiara. "Really? They could stay here?"

Kiara smiled. "Do you want that, Suki?"

Nodding vigorously, Suki's muzzle broke into a smile. "Yes, their safety means everything to me." Her grin widened. "Thank you."

Tojo gave Kiara a fleeting glance. "Will you stay with them here?"

At his question, the smile melted from her face. "I... I-I don't know..."

Kiara moved closer. "Stay with them, Suki. They need you."

A crease formed between the lioness's eyes. "I... I'm so grateful for this opportunity, but... my pride needs me more. It'd be selfish to stay, Kiara."

Kiara and Tojo both looked at each other. They easily saw the conflict in the young mother's eyes.

Finally, Tojo said, "If you change your mind, we'd gladly have you, too."

Silently, looking at the ground, Suki nodded. She then looked up. "Please, I'll need a moment with them."

"Of course," Kiara told her, smiling softly. She then watched as the young mother jogged back to her cubs and embraced them both the best she could. They weren't so little anymore, after all.

"I hope you don't think I'm heartless. I... I must apologize for my harshness. I wasn't very diplomatic at all."

Kiara made a little face at Tojo's quiet comment. "Neither was I," she replied. "I was more than ill-prepared, and you did already give us your final answer." After a moment, she added, "I should also apologize on Chaka's behalf."

Tojo gave her a wan smile. He replied, "He's under a lot of pressure. It's forgivable this time."

The silence that ensued announced that there was no more to be said. With a nod, Kiara said good-bye to Tojo and walked over to Suki. The lioness was talking quietly to her cubs and though Kiara couldn't see her face, from the sound of her sniffling she could tell she was crying. Kiara paused a few lengths behind the small family to give them space. It only took Suki a moment to look over her shoulder and smile softly at her queen. The cubs then saw Kiara as well and dashed over to her, their faces equally emotional.

"Momma says we're goin' to be safe here," Isabis chirped. "Will we, Kiara? Will we?"

Kiara gave them a sweet smile. "What? Don't you believe your own mother?" she gently teased.

Isabis thought for a moment. "I wanna second opinion. Oh, so does Neo, too."

Kiara licked the top of Isabis's head. "These lions will take good care of you both."

For a moment, Isabis still looked reluctant, but then something caught her eye behind Kiara, and she leaned around the lioness to get a better look. An amused smile stretched across the muzzle of the young lioness. "Hey, they've got cubs here, too! They're our age, Neo!" Isabis then twisted around and bounced to her paws. "Mom, can we go play with them? Please?"

Still misty-eyed, Suki nodded and gave her daughter and son one last lick on the tops of their heads. "Go enjoy yourselves. I'll see you soon."

Wide-eyed, Isabis eagerly leaped away. "C'mon, Neo!"

Neo was more hesitant, but he started to jog after his sister. After he'd made it a few lengths away, he paused, looking over his shoulder.

"Good-bye, Momma. Bye, Queen Kiara."

The two mothers gave their replies as well, and when Neo had turned towards his sister, they began to head back to the Pride Lands. Kiara estimated at the slower pace they were sure to travel at, they wouldn't reach the border until long after nightfall.

It wasn't until they'd walked several miles when Kiara opened her mouth to offer some words of comfort to Suki. The lioness had been silent since they'd departed.

"Suki, I-"

Suddenly, the younger lioness's head shot up, her ears perked. "Do you hear that?"

They stopped in their tracks, and Kiara listened as well. Faintly, she thought she heard someone calling her name.

It was Suki who looked up to the sky. "Isn't that Tojo's bird?"

Kiara followed Suki's line of vision and squinted. Soon enough, the bird was close enough to clearly make out what it was saying.

"Wait! Wait!" The bird fluttered to the ground, breathing heavily. It was struggling to speak.

Kiara glanced at Suki, and she knew instantly that they shared the same expression of alarm. Stepping towards the bird, Kiara told it to calm down and take its time.

"Nononono... I... I've news for y'from King Tojo," it stammered. Taking a deep airy sigh, it then continued. "Says he'll think about it."

Kiara's breath hitched in her throat. "Really?" she exclaimed.

The blue bird nodded furiously. "Yes, yes. I'll bring y'his verdict by next sunrise. No sooner, no later."

She thought she would leap out of her own fur at the news. There was a tenderness in her jaw. Her first instinct was to thank the bird and to send her gratitude to Tojo, but it didn't feel right saying such things when Tojo's promise in itself had promise of possible failure. Though she couldn't stop smiling, she nodded curtly to the bird. "I'll look forward to seeing you again and hearing from Tojo, whatever his decision."

"Yes, yes, right." The bird puffed its feathers, still panting.

Kiara glanced at Suki briefly, then back down at the exhausted bird. "You're in no condition to fly right now. We'll stay with you until you can actually breathe again."

The bird nodded and sat on its feet with another heavy breath. "Thank you. It's appreciated."

Kiara's smile widened again.

_Maybe I've still got a chance yet..._

88888

The closer the sun got to the horizon, the higher his spirits rose. His heart seemed to swell in his chest, and the energy pulsed out to his tired limbs, like the energy a tree derived from its leaves traveled down its trunk and settled in its roots. There were a few times during the last stretch of the trek to the herds when he'd had to stop himself when the corners of his mouth had started to turn up. Sauda wouldn't have bothered herself to flash a glance in her leader's direction, but he wouldn't let anything, even the ghost of a smile, ruin his chances of finally facing Chaka.

They'd been resting a few hours when night finally fell. The lionesses grew increasingly agitated and eager to push the hunt into motion, and were play-fighting. In the distance, they could hear the woops and cries of hoofed animals. The insects, which buzzed in his ears, were extra agitated as well. Before Sauda herself returned to pester him, Kovu pulled his children to the side.

"Are you ready?" he asked. They were sitting opposite him. He then gave Asuma a pointed look. "Both of you?"

The young lion nodded solemnly. "Yes, we're ready. You do not have to worry."

Kovu allowed a smile this time. He was proud of his cubs. He was giving them the opportunity to succeed, and together they would set everything right again. He also couldn't help but notice the bit of irony that revolved around the hunt itself. Half his problems had started when Asuma had found him after getting lost in a hunt- a hunt he should have been there for. Instead, he'd been too wrapped in his responsibilities... and later... his secrets.

_I guess it's all kinda coming full-circle..._

Kovu turned his ear to the soft growl that Natin gave when he joined them.

Stopping next to Tanga and glaring over his shoulder, Natin muttered, "Not one of them has _not _asked me when we're gonna start."

Kovu made a face. "Let them ask. They don't have to wait for much longer. Once we're clear on what we need to do, we can start. Natin, we need to be discrete."

His nephew nodded. Looking at Tanga and Asuma, he said, "I think you two might wanna bring down some prey. If you do, the lionesses will be drawn to the kill when your father and I sneak off."

Kovu nodded his approval. "I don't think they'll wonder too much about where you've gone." He curled his lip. "The opportunity to eat has yet to stop them. Even if they do notice immediately, we'll have enough of an advantage. Then we'll run against the bank."

Asuma nodded as well, his jaw tensing. "Alright."

Tanga's ears perked. "Where's the meeting spot, Natin?"

"The river," Natin answered, dropping his voice, "it's less than a mile from here. From where we are, it's that way." He pointed with his muzzle to Tanga and Asuma's right. "When we're in position before you start, I'll show you again. You don't wanna get yourselves turned around. If anything, you can follow the river until you find a pride you can ask directions from if we're separated and you can't find the Pride Lands on your own."

"Don't worry, that won't happen," Asuma said, sending a quick glance at his paws. His flinty gaze then refocused on his father.

Kovu wondered if his son was thinking about his traumatizing past, all of which _he_ was responsible for. Inwardly, he cringed. His heart started to race.

_It's all coming full-circ-_

"Kovu, I think it's time."

His blinked when he heard Natin's voice. He stood up and gestured with his head. "Right. Let's go."

**A/N: I hope to have an update soon. As promised by this last section, action is sure to come and I'll get right into it with the next chapter. If I don't update by the weekend, I wish you all a happy New Years! :D**


	31. As Fate Would Have It

**A/N:**

**Update time—AND in the same 2 week period! As anticipated from the last chapter, the action begins… now-**

Asuma closed his eyes and focused hard on just breathing. His whole body was shaking, causing the tawny grass around him to shudder slightly.

Before they had separated, Tanga had decided what general section of the large herd they would strike. Now she was off somewhere in the grass, and he would wait for her signal. The target would be chosen when she grew close enough to properly observe. She was a natural hunter after all, not him. It was her environment, and she was in control.

She would strike first and, practically like a blind cub, he'd follow her lead. He admitted to himself grudgingly that he was relying heavily on her for her guidance and skill, but there was no other choice if the plan were to succeed. With regret, he then wished he had spent more time building hunting skills that he, too, could be proud of. The more Asuma thought on it, he wasn't sure what he would do if they failed because of her.

_ "If that means that he's paid for his crimes... I don't think I'll mind it too much."_

A chill ran through his body.

_No, I have to keep calm. We complete the distraction and get to the river. Then we'll have him. It's finally happening... isn't that enough?_

He narrowed his eyes.

_ So don't screw this up... you won't forgive yourself if __**you're**__ the screw up..._

They had left Pride Rock thirteen days before, he thought. More sunrises than he was comfortable with had passed him by, and with it the opportunities the dark shroud each of those nights had brought with it. Instead, his nightmares had come to taunt him.

He wondered if he'd ever be free of his nightmares.

"_But... but there's gotta be __**justice**__... He's a __**murderer**__... isn't he? Murder __**is**__ the worst..."_

He swallowed hard.

_What would he think of me? What I was doing for him, because he was murdered in cold blood by that monster? Would he... would he wish for me to do all this because of what happened to him? Because Father hurt me, too?_

For a brief moment of clarity, Asuma wondered how the killing had exactly played out... He curled his lip when he imagined Kovu tearing into his helpless grandfather with practiced ease as he cried out in pain and surprise. He'd never seen Zira, his grandmother, but he imaged a creature that vaguely looked like his aunt Vitani standing back and watching with a glimmer of malice and triumph in her eyes as she finally got what she'd wanted all along. He could see the blood as it tainted the ground, and maybe a tree or bush or two, but he imagined it had happened very quickly and swiftly. He didn't remember his father having very many scratches on his body at the time, and compared to what Chaka had given him, he doubted that Simba would have otherwise gone down without a fight. Kovu was younger, but Simba had also been bigger.

Why had Kovu needed Zira to ambush Simba? Why had he hated Simba enough to kill him? Was power really so important that he couldn't wait? Had he resented his family for getting in the way of his ultimate mission? Why had Zira come back in the first place, and was her influence over her soulless boy really that great... and what had his cubhood been like?

Why hadn't he asked Natin to give him every scrap of detail he might have learned from his mother? Why hadn't Natin told him in the first place?

_After all that's happened... do I really care to know all the answers?_

Asuma's sight had blurred and he vigorously shook his head to regain his focus. However, there was no ridding the feeling of numbness that had settled over him. To distract himself, he arched his neck to look over the grass line. He squinted his eyes and waited for Tanga to lift her tail above the grass and wave the signal.

When she finally gave the signal, accompanied by a small chirping sound, his heart stuttered in his chest.

Steeling himself with a deep breath, he started to creep towards the herd. They were downwind from the herd, though the breeze was minimal. The gathering of animals was mostly made up of cape buffalo and zebra, though when he flared his nostrils he caught the musk of thin-legged gazelle and wildebeest. Creeping forward, he stretched his body and neck so that it was parallel with the ground. He remembered to keep his whole body low, almost feeling Tanga's paws on his hips when she'd forced his bottom and tail down roughly two weeks before. Upon hearting Tanga give another vocal signal, he paused for another moment. When she chirped again, he lowered himself into the dusty-scented grass and started forward on his belly. The advance was slow, and he turned his paws over so his steps were muffled by his fur. Several times he had to take a breath and swallow in order to calm himself.

_We can isolate him._

The sound of so many huffing and chewing creatures was like a symphony. The night air around him was cooling down, but the closer he got to the herd he thought he could almost feel the radiating heat from so many animals. For another moment, Asuma closed his eyes, enjoying the calm and anticipating the surge of activity that was about to erupt on the savannah.

_Tonight there will finally be justice. By dawn I'll see this done._ _They'll see._

Tanga gave a final chirp and his eyes flashed open at the sound of rustling grass nearby. Instinct took over and Asuma rose up from the grass. It took a moment, but his eyes locked on Tanga. He then looked forward and tried to find where she was going to strike. As the herd animals quickly identified the danger of the attack, they began to stumble into each other in an effort to escape, tossing up clumps of grass and dirt. With the dark and the haze, Asuma tossed aside the half-hearted attempt to predict Tanga's plan, and instead focused his energy on running after her, determined to not fall behind. He strode to her side, but gave her plenty of room to maneuver.

"It's a wildebeest!" Tanga cried when she realized he was near her. "Got it?"

"Got it! Keep leading!" he shouted back. "We get out as fast as possible!"

There was a ghost of a nod. Tanga surged ahead, leading them along the edge of the deafening herd. A few steps to the right, Asuma thought, and the herd would grab them by its teeth and swallow them whole. He stayed several lengths behind Tanga, sucking the hot, fear-filled air deep into his lungs. His tender paws pounded the ground, and he could feel the sores on his paws splitting open again.

He grinned.

It put his self-control to the test in order to keep himself from whooping in excitement.

With a roar, Tanga moved like a flash and launched herself onto the thick neck of a wildebeest. Her motions were swift and smooth, her tail whipping behind her for balance.

To Asuma, for several moments, everything seemed to move in slow motion. The collective thunder of hooves dissolved into the steady beat of a drum, and he could feel the power in each and every tendon and straining muscle in his body when he too leaped and slammed his front paws into the haunch of the wildebeest. On impact, his claws slipped a few inches. For a moment, he panicked. Scrabbling for something to hold onto, his teeth grabbed onto the precipice its back. The wildebeest tensed. From the effort, Asuma's neck immediately began to feel the strain. His momentum allowed him to swing his hind paws up towards the wildebeest's unprotected belly.

It bucked and hollered, but together they clung to its body. The rest of the herd rolled past them in a dusty, anonymous blur.

His eyes burning, Asuma thankfully felt the wildebeest tiring beneath his claws. It was slowly, in shuddering motions, sinking to the ground. Its sides heaved furiously as it fought for air through a crushed windpipe, and when it finally fell to the ground, its spindly but powerful legs flailed uselessly, given no purchase under Tanga's death grip.

Then it felt like ages while its life gradually oozed out of its fighting body into the scrubby ground. An unwelcome chill ran through Asuma's body when he noted the exact moment the wildebeest became just another hunk of meat.

Panting, with her lips and teeth bloodied, Tanga took a shaky step away from the wildebeest. Her green eyes were practically black with adrenaline. She nodded. "He's down."

Asuma nodded as well, trying to breathe. He glanced around for a moment, taking note of the direction they'd ultimately head in. He then noticed something. "The herd... they're running towards the river. Right?"

"I think so. Do we follow them?"

He nodded, clearing his throat. "Yes." His limbs felt rubbery when he lifted a paw and took a step. "Chase them. C'mon!"

This time, he led the way. Tanga ran next to him. The bulk of the herd was already a quarter of a mile ahead of them, but a few stragglers made sure to stay out of the way of predators. If they could make it look like they were hunting more prey, it would serve to distract and excite Sauda and the lionesses more. Asuma hoped the herd would effectively disguise their trail and make it harder to pick out from the wild scent of hoofed creatures.

"I...I... hope... Sauda... let's them... go!" Tanga huffed.

"Don't worry... about... them! Just run!" he shouted back, though he shared the same fear. In general, he also was anxious about being separated from Natin and Kovu for too long. The night was dark and the area was large. No matter what, they'd have to wait for them to arrive at the river. He just prayed the difficulties of meeting up again would be minimal. Phase one had gone off without problem already.

_I'd say we've been lucky... but luck never seems to be on my side._

888888

_"We'll find him and bring him to his senses. Then we'll bring Chaka to his senses."_

_ "What if we never find Uncle Kovu, Mother? Aren't we gonna go back home?"_

_ "Not until they're safe, Natin, we can't. I'm sorry. I have to make sure. He's a danger to himself and everyone around him."_

_ "...Well... we're in this together... right?"_

_ "Yeah, we are, my son."_

They had found a very small rise; it was just big enough to give them an idea of what was going on in the night. Natin suppressed a shiver of anticipation as he sat beside the lion who had caused his mother to die. Flanking Kovu's other side was Sauda, the lioness who had tasted his mother's blood on her tongue.

"I've heard so many good things about your daughter, Kovu," Sauda spoke up. "But is your son as good a hunter as his father?"

Natin briefly glanced out of the corner of his eye and waited for his uncle's response when he hesitated.

"He won't disappoint me," Kovu finally replied. "Neither of them will."

By now, Tanga and Asuma had melted in with the tall grass. He could only guess at where they were, and the herd was unsuspecting so far. Natin's adrenaline rose as he tried to avoid becoming impatient. He recalled the calm, focused expressions on both of his cousins' faces when they'd departed. Natin had nodded to them, preparing for what would be one of the longest nights in his young life.

_And whatever you do, Tanga, don't get in Asuma's way._

After a while, Natin realized he was trying his hardest to keep his eyes straight ahead, trying to shut out the sight of Kovu in his side vision.

"You know..."

Natin's ears perked at Kovu's voice.

"Having them here has given me a new confidence."

Natin noticed that Sauda had left. When he spotted her over his shoulder, she was working with her lionesses, calling their attention and organizing them.

_You guys better move faster..._

Kovu continued. "While I waited for you to return... I wondered what was the point anymore. We weren't moving forward. I was too close to finally giving up."

Natin raised the eyebrow that Kovu couldn't see.

_Anything is worth the risk if the alternative is murder..._

"Your kids share your feelings for the Pridelanders," Natin remarked, pushing Tanga's words from his mind. _No, now is not the time... this is our only option. _"They're not gonna shed a tear for Chaka, and the Pride Lands will be ours again. You'll have your kingdom back, Kovu."

Kovu let out a heavy breath.

Briefly Natin again glanced at his uncle, and to his horror he realized just how haggard he'd grown. Shadows pooled around his tired, green eyes. Shadows also settled in the various scars on his face and around the corners of his mouth. Natin had, in fact, been under Kovu's care for well over a year, learning from him and waiting to strike, but he'd never bothered to study him, or much less look him full in the face.

Sadly, he remembered then that he'd never known his own father, nor did he wish to know him, and his mother had chosen to tell him very little about the insignificant rogue who had given him life...

_Kovu's the closest thing I've ever had to a father... maybe... maybe that's why I can't kill him..._

"Kovu." Sauda's voice shattered Natin's thoughts. "I'll give them the signal when your children initiate the hunt."

Almost the moment after Sauda had mentioned the word 'hunt', an explosion of sound rent the air. The lionesses heard it, too, and they began to yowl and growl impatiently. The herd was on the move.

First grinning at her lionesses over her shoulder, Sauda turned to Kovu. Her eyes were wide and eager.

Kovu gave the nod.

The lionesses took off, snarling and bumping into each other. Natin watched and rolled his eyes when one tripped over her paws and tumbled gracelessly to the ground before picking herself up and taking off at a dead run after her pridesisters.

Natin blinked and inwardly cursed.

_Sauda!_

"This is a night to celebrate, Sauda," Kovu spoke up. If he were nervous, he hid his unease perfectly, and Natin envied him for it. "Join them. Natin and I will follow."

Sauda snorted a laugh. "What?" she roughly scoffed. "You can't tell me what to do all the time. _You_ get to rest and sit and watch."

Natin swallowed and almost choked on his saliva. Just then, he heard a roar, announcing that an animal had been attacked. He thought the roar was Tanga's.

"Your point?" Kovu asked, his tone slightly more brusque this time.

"I think I'll let them do all the work tonight. I'm too tired. I'm going to rest."

Natin couldn't clearly see what was going on below, but he knew exactly how long it took to bring down an animal. Precious time was slipping by, and a feeling of cold dread washed over him from his head to his toes, leaving him feeling light and shaky.

Next to him, Kovu stood up.

Sauda didn't appear to notice, her attention locked on the hunt. She muttered something in excitement, her ears flicking like crazy. There was a smile on her muzzle.

Natin's eyes widened. He felt his jaw drop.

It was a move that Kovu had taught him months before. With a paw, Kovu reached around from behind Sauda to grab her by the muzzle and shove her to the ground with all his weight. He landed on her back, both his front paw smashing her jaws into the ground. The move immobilized her completely. Natin watched in horror while Kovu then brutally held her head down parallel to the ground with one paw, while he swiftly and deeply raked his fully-unsheathed claws down the side of her face and neck.

The lioness, wide-eyed, snarled and yelped muffledly while she weakly tried to surge up from the ground. One of her hind lengs wasn't pinned beneath her, but it was stretched out at an awkward angle. There was no time for her to call for help. Soon, the grass by her neck darkened and she slowly grew still and silent.

Natin watched the light go out of her frightened eyes when Kovu pulled his paws away. Her face had frozen into a mute roar.

"Let's go. We need to make up lost time," Kovu told him. He stepped off of Sauda's limp back. Pantingly lightly, he cleaned his paws along the dead lioness's pelt.

Dumbfounded, Natin unconsciously took a step away from the death scene.

"Stop staring," Kovu grumbled as he turned away from Natin.

Natin blinked and remembered to take a breath. When Kovu finally tore off without another word, Natin followed.

"They'll know," Natin said once he regained his ability to speak.

"Do you think I care?" Kovu snapped, flashing a glare at him. "Natin, _all_ I care about are my children. She would've stopped me from being with them. Stopped _us_."

Though Kovu's words made sense about the murderous, vile lioness, Natin remained uneasy about what he'd seen. Kovu had done what was needed to escape; Natin knew neither of them would lose sleep over Sauda's death- she who had laughed at his mother when she'd asked if she knew Kovu- but seeing his mother's lonely corpse paled in comparison.

_Is murder a burden I'm willing to carry?_

Natin was having trouble keeping up with Kovu while they made their full-out dash to the river where they hopefully would meet Tanga and Asuma. He kept his eyes on his uncle's back. He then shook his head.

_If what I just saw taught me anything... then... well..._

888888

A large figure moved into their path at the mouth of the den. There was a low growl and a booming voice. "It wasn't very responsible of you to disappear all day. If something had happened to-"

His tone immediately set her on edge. "Well nothing did, did it?" Kiara snapped back, eyeing her brother in irritation as he barred the entrance. "Now how about you ask me nicely where I was, and I can tell you, Chaka. You're not my keeper."

Hours had passed since sundown and the moon was ascending into the sky. Drained and fuzzy-minded, Kiara desired nothing less than to argue with her brother in front of the whole pride. Behind Chaka she could see them slowly coming around, rousted by Chaka's lack of control of the volume of his voice.

"Where were you?" Chaka demanded bluntly and flatly. She knew he was at the mercy of his barely-contained emotions.

"I went to Tojo's pride to talk with him."

The big lion narrowed his eyes. "To talk? Hope it wasn't a waste of our time."

Kiara closed her eyes in irritation. Everything that erupted from his mouth made her pelt crawl.

_Why is he so difficult?_

"Well, Kiara?"

She said quietly, "It's disrespectful the way you scold me in front of my subjects."

When she opened her eyes, Chaka was rolling his. He opened his mouth, but when he felt the presence of several lionesses approaching from behind him, he turned and stared.

"Chaka," one began, "let her speak. We're done listening to you."

"Yeah, exactly," piped another as her other pridesisters nodded in agreement.

Chaka growled nervously. "You'll listen to her?"

"Of course," replied a light-furred lioness. "She doesn't sit and watch us run those laps or fight each other. She's right next to us. The least we can do is lend our ears to her."

Amid the exclamations of agreement, one lioness asked, "Kiara? Suki? Why _did_ you go to Tojo?"

"I needed answers," Kiara replied as the lionesses managed to press Chaka away from the entrance. They allowed her and Suki to enter the den, and they surrounded her in the middle of the den's floor. At the gesture, Kiara felt a surge of confidence. "I knew my pride needed answers."

"Answers for what?" a lioness asked.

"How to lead my pride better," Kiara said, a small smile quirking a corner of her mouth.

"Did Tojo help at all? Is he going to help now?"

Kiara tried to stop herself from faltering, but was unsuccessful. "I still don't know the answers- I'll need to look elsewhere," she told them, "but Tojo may be on our side yet."

Chaka's mane suddenly brushed her shoulder. "Really? He's coming, right? You got his word?"

Kiara looked up at her brother and nervously put a paw on his chest to gently nudge him further away. She was grateful when he didn't ignore her gesture. "He promised he'd think about it. At sunrise his messenger is supposed to bring us his answer."

Chaka made a disgruntled sound. "That's it? We wait? We're always waiting."

Kiara nodded curtly, forcing a patronizing smile. "You're welcome," she replied mockingly. "Now... I'm very tired, and if you'd be so kind, brother, I'd like nothing more than to-"

Chaka snarled, the fur on his chest fluffing. "If you think you're gonna go around me now, you're wrong."

Startled, Kiara blinked. "What? I don't under-"

There was a collective gasp when Kiara narrowly ducked a blow from Chaka that was aimed for her head, causing her to stumble back and fall onto her hip. She grunted. The diameter of the ring surrounding the siblings widened for half a second before Suki and several other lionesses converged to bar Chaka from their queen.

Kiara was up quickly, several muzzles nudging her helpfully to her paws. They asked if she was alright and she assure them she was unhurt. She then took several steps forward so he had a clear view of her. "Chaka, maybe it's best if you slept outside tonight."

Chaka blinked, his eyes wide as they flashed from one angry face to another. His mouth fell open slightly, but nothing more than a strangled squeak was able to escape.

Sensing his hesitation, one of the lionesses gave a throaty growl.

Kiara met Chaka's eyes, which to her surprise were draining of disapproving resentment and instead filling with a mixture of shame and hurt. She, too, felt a little ashamed at how she had let her exhaustion and frustration speak for her. "Please, go, Chaka," she urged him quietly. "We can talk later when you're calmer." She then recalled the last time she had asked someone to take a breather. "And _please_ don't go far, alright? We can greet Tojo's messenger together at sunrise."

Seemingly in a daze, Chaka wordlessly turned and headed towards the entrance, his head and ears down. For a heartbeat he paused, but instead he decided to continue without so much as turning back to look at them. When two lionesses went to the mouth of the den to check, they reported he'd quickly gone from their sight.

"He's dangerous," one of the older lionesses remarked. More quietly she muttered, "...Scar had a temper on him, too."

Kiara closed her eyes, and sighed. Turning to the lioness, she chided her softly, "And saying things like that serves no purpose. Remember... he wasn't raised here."

The elder looked like she had a retort resting on the tip of her tongue, but when one of their pridesisters brushed a paw over her paw, she stayed silent.

"Kiara? Where's Isabis and Neo?" yet another lioness asked. She and the other lionesses started to look around- as if Isabis's presence alone would've been able to go undetected.

Another added, "Yeah, what happened to them? Suki?"

"They'll remain with Tojo's pride until all of this has blown over," Kiara spoke for Suki, glancing at her worried-faced companion. "That's one of the reasons I went to see his pride."

Many of the lionesses looked at each other. After all that had happened, Kiara couldn't say either way that she was surprised or not when the lionesses began to grumble.

"_My_ health isn't as valuable as theirs?" one of the oldest lionesses wheezed.

Kiara lowered her ears. "But I just thought... and I promised Su-"

"I can't say they're old enough to fight and should, but I am _too_ old to fight."

Kiara opened her mouth again to further defend herself, but she quickly realized she was struck mute. She started to panic.

While the lionesses continued to voice their various concerns, Suki lowered her head and murmured, "I should have kept them with me..."

Kiara's eyes snapped around the cave from one face to the other. Only she was silent; every other rapidly moving mouth in the cave had more than plenty to say. She understood why they were lashing out at her, but that understanding was very little comfort.

"Suki's always been your favorite, Kiara! Hasn't she?"

"The worst part is she tricked us into thinking she cared about us, too!"

"We need a _real_ leader! If your mother only knew!"

"This isn't right what you're doing to us!"

"Say something!"

"We can't trust either of you, can we?"

Every piece of hurtful criticism they hurled her way was next to useless, and damaged her more than Chaka's blow would have. Now she was in full dismay. She desperately tried listening to her own thoughts, but she couldn't hear them over the din of the senseless lionesses. It was as if her thoughts had scampered into the recesses of her mind to hide away from the conflict she found herself entrenched in. And if they weren't hiding in her mind, they had gone far below to hide in her complaining stomach. For several moments, she couldn't catch her breath. Before she knew it, she was on the ground with her paws protecting her face and ears. She wanted to shut her pridesisers out.

_How can I keep trying if everything I do takes me a step backwards?_ _How?_

_ How?_

_ How?_

Suddenly, a paw touched her and she flinched like she'd been clawed or burned. It also seemed to break the spell. When she realized she'd been holding her breath, she sighed and listened. Hideous chatter had been replaced by calm. Slowly she uncurled herself and looked around the den. It was empty... Almost.

"I sent them away for now... so that you could have time to rest and collect your thoughts."

To Kiara's surprise, Chaka was standing beside her. Upon sight, a mixture of embarrassment and distrust rose up like bile in her throat. Her mouth fell open slightly.

Chaka averted his eyes. He remarked quietly, "Heard them from all the way outside..."

She sniffed and looked at her paws. "...I guess I should say thank-"

"No need," he cut her off. He then abruptly started towards the mouth of the empty cave, paused, and looked over his shoulder at her. "Haven't I told you before that I'm no hero?"

Kiara frowned slightly in response. She did recall something similar he had said the first day they'd met, after he'd rescued Asuma from the same wild dogs he had harassed.

"See you at dawn. Get some rest."

Stunned, Kiara could only nod. She watched Chaka nod in return before he disappeared once again from view.

The silence was blissful. There had only been a time or two in her life the den had ever been completely empty. As she looked around in a daze, she felt her muscles relax, and her mind begin to unclench itself and work again.

Kiara swallowed hard. In the middle of the den's floor, she rested her head on her paws. She hoped hours wouldn't pass before she convinced herself to finally sleep, and she wished just as hard that everything would be better in the morning.

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Natin's misty breath made rings around his muzzle, and his eyes and throat burned. Minutes before they'd finally reached the river and had yet to locate Asuma and Tanga. To cover their scent, they were pounding through the shallows while they hugged the bank, which sloped upwards a little bit above their heads. Kovu was in the lead. The riverbed stretched endlessly before them like the underbelly of a serpent.

"Keep up!"

Natin's lungs ached too much to reply to Kovu's urging. He was equally as fit as Kovu, if not more, but his uncle's determination was driving him within inches of his breaking point. At the pace Kovu had set, it would've been difficult to keep up even on flat, dry terrain. All Natin could do was force himself to run faster.

_"It's best... that when you attack you don't hesitate. If there's an opening, take it. You're opponents make mistakes, and the goal is to make less mistakes than them. Mistakes get you killed."_

_ "The best places to hit are the ankles, abdomen, eyes- and if I can get them, the paws."_

_ "Good. Now what's even better than that?"_

_ "... Excuse me?"_

_ "You have an enemy. What's an even better way to finish him off?"_

_ "But I just told you what the most vital areas are besides the neck-"_

_ "Besides direct combat, Natin."_

_He'd stood there a moment, unable to speak the answer to Kovu's prompt. He'd glanced down at the ground a couple times. Finally he muttered, "Ambush."_

_ "Right."_

_ "It's cowardly."_

_ Kovu had narrowed his eyes. "Your goal during direct combat is to exploit the weaknesses of your enemy. It's one of their weaknesses. Everyone let's their guard down at some point."_

_ The look his uncle had given him had forced the younger lion to suppress a shiver._

_ It had been a challenge._

One that Natin had never exploited despite how much Kovu had trained him.

_Maybe you're not a coward... maybe you don't care about him as much as you think... maybe you've just waited all this time because you know he's waiting for you to make the move that will stop him for good,_ he thought to himself. _Maybe... maybe you're as messed up as Asuma is..._

"I said keep up!"

"Sorry!" Natin rasped, snapped from his thoughts. A weak flush of energy propelled him forward to fill the gap that had opened between him and Kovu. He feared that with each step he took, the next would cause him to trip and tumble into the muddy river bank.

They ran another quarter mile and he was falling behind again. Natin had yet to see any sign of Asuma or Tanga, and he begged the Great Kings that they wouldn't be captured by the lionesses before they found each other.

_Or even worse- __**we **__are racing the wrong direction and wasting precious time..._

Just then, he looked up to the bank just ahead and saw his cousins.

His muscles strained and protested when he skidded to a stop at Kovu's side. In the cool air, steam was rolling off his and Kovu's pelts as they watched Tanga and Asuma jump gracelessly down the bank to meet them.

"You made it," Asuma greeted them, "but we've been waiting-"

"Sauda delayed us," Kovu explained shortly.

Asuma glanced at Natin before returning his attention back onto Kovu with a small affected shrug. "Well... are we crossing now?"

Natin groaned inwardly when Kovu shook his head.

"We covered our tracks by treading water," his uncle said, still panting. "We need to lose your trail... and it will throw them off if we all run back the way Natin and I came... They'll naturally think we're aiming for a distance gap."

Tanga said, "Then we'll cross?"

Kovu nodded. "Follow me. Stay in the water. They'll think you two crossed here if they get this far."

Asuma eyed his cousin and father. "Do you need a moment?"

Natin was still panting hard when Kovu turned to him. The expression on his face told him to suck it up. He nodded in return, and Kovu gave a short announcement before turning and sprinting way.

Natin more than anything wanted to vomit.

By then, mud was splattered on his legs clear up to his belly. Some of the mud had made it onto his chin and cheeks while he splashed through the river's edge. Eventually, he had fallen behind Asuma and Tanga. He was becoming disoriented and was short of breath.

_Cross already!_ he shouted inwardly.

Lungs and throat scorching, a memory surfaced in his mind. He recalled one dark night, when the sky had been overcast. He'd been living under Kovu's care for something like six months. It'd been a few nights after Kovu had started teaching him the art of ambush- more specifically how to catch an enemy in his sleep.

He'd been unable to stay asleep that night, a lingering feeling that Kovu had been setting him up for a challenge making him feel overall uneasy. He distinctly remembered his stomach paining him and his tense jaw hurting while he'd laid there grinding his teeth. He'd stared into the darkness, listening and watching. Kovu had been asleep for hours, hardly tossing or turning like he'd normally done. At some point, Natin had given a resigned sigh and had stood up to stretch.

In the next instant, he'd been standing over Kovu while he slept, having walked absently to his side.

Though he'd been scarcely able to see Kovu's face, from what he could tell his uncle had looked especially peaceful. All bitterness had drained from his face. Natin wasn't sure how long he'd stood there, but when he'd regained his focus, he realized that Kovu had turned over and was lying with his back facing him. Natin had looked up then. No one else was awake. Only him, and the night was quiet. He stood stock still and turned his attention back to Kovu, who was breathing softly and deeply at his tingling paws. His paws had felt like they'd been on fire.

_You did that several more times that year... staring at him with loathing before turning around and trying to fall back asleep. But not one time could you finally work yourself up to-_

Natin heard a shout from up ahead suddenly that snapped him from his thoughts. When his eyes refocused, he realized that Kovu was now in the water. It was up to his belly, and he had turned around in the water to shout at Tanga and Asuma who were still standing in the shallows, their backs hunched. They were looking nervously from their father to the ominous water. Natin thought they looked young and frail.

"C'mon, we can rest... after we've crossed... I promise! I know you can do it!"

Eyes wide and filled with worry, Tanga was gasping for breath when Natin skidded to a stop. She coughed miserably. "The ri... riv... it's to-oo rough! I can't!"

Natin wasn't surprised to see that the river was slightly choppy on the surface, but it angered him that Kovu was pushing his children so far. The river wasn't extraordinarily wide, nor was it important where they ended up on the opposite bank, but fighting the water would take its toll after the amount of energy they had already exerted. Catching their breath would make all the difference.

"What's wrong?" Kovu called.

Natin called back, "They... They need a moment!"

"But we're almost there!" Kovu shouted as he took a step backwards. He was trying to coax them in. The wild-eyed lion stumbled a little, but he was quickly back on steady paws. He looked equally as exhausted, but his determination was severely clouding his judgement.

_Too bad he wouldn't be the one to drown..._ Natin found himself thinking.

Asuma glanced over at Natin when he must have heard his labored gasps. The light-furred lion then sputtered firmly, "We need rest n... now!"

Distracted, Natin thought he saw Kovu flash his teeth in a snarl. The lion pushed through the water.

As he came forward, Asuma and Tanga started to back up.

"Don't let your paws touch the dirt," Kovu warned, scowling. He stopped when the water was half-way up his forelegs. "We can't let them catch us."

Natin grimaced at the thought.

Asuma was shaking his head. "We'll drown if-"

"I won't let you drown," Kovu snapped.

"But-"

"Enough! Now c'mon! Do it for me!"

Kovu spun around and leaped back into the water. He started swimming. When he looked over his shoulder and saw that they were hesitating still, he started shouting at them again.

Natin closed his eyes. He felt like vomiting.

"Natin."

He opened his eyes and saw that both Asuma and Tanga were looking at him, desperation in their eyes.

Asuma's face was the picture of conviction. "Natin... what if..."

Natin looked at Kovu. He had made it a quarter of the way across the river and he was turning back around again. The young, blue-eyed lion's face flushed.

"This isn't a game!" Kovu shouted. "I'll drag-"

Just when he must have hit the bed of the river, Kovu fell silent, his ears cocked. He stood there, looking past them to the bank above their heads.

Natin swiveled his view from Kovu to where his uncle was staring and cocked his ears, too.

"What's that?" Tanga asked. "Sounds like... thunder."

Natin couldn't help himself when he clambered up the small bank slope and looked across the dry, level land.

His heart suddenly became as functional as a rock lodged in his chest.

"_Run!_" he shouted. When he turned, he accidentally crossed his legs and tumbled into the water, landing on his back. He felt himself roll into Tanga or Asuma. Coughing, he managed to get up and shout, _"Stampede!"_

Trying to shake the mud and water that dripped from his mane into his eyes, Natin began to cross the river with his cousins. He couldn't see her clearly, but he knew that Tanga was swimming next to him with Asuma a few lengths ahead. He could hear Kovu shouting at them, but from where, Natin wasn't sure.

When the herd animals started to cascade into the river, all Natin could hear was the yelping of animals and an overbearing, resounding thunder. Waves began to crash at his back as he struggled to get across. Animals were pushing each other into the water. He thought he heard Tanga shriek.

Suddenly, he realized, he was nowhere near his cousins. Everything became a blur.

"I can't see!" he felt himself shout. The sound of his own voice was unable to reach his ears, engulfed by the bellows of prey animals.

Natin went to shout again when he felt hot, jumping bodies begin to shove, bump, and crowd him. Arching his neck and thrashing his paws, he felt like the river had a firm grasp on him. There was no room to swim. He was soaked to his skin. The hoofed animals ignored his presence, and all he could sense were the crashing waves they sent spilling over his head, and the muffled, excited cries they whooped and grunted.

When he was about to take a deep breath, a large body was thrown down heavily onto his back, forcing him well under the waves. The wind was knocked out of him and his chest began to burn. For a fleeting moment, he felt the muddy riverbed beneath his paws, and he instinctively used the bottom as a springboard to the surface before he could panic any further...

Disoriented, one after another he felt the sharp kicks to his head as the stupid animal continued to stomp around for sure footing. Somewhere inside of him, he realized it must have been for only a few seconds, but in the forefront of his mind it seemed to endure as hours of pure hell.

Without realizing it, he finally managed to fight his way back to the surface, where he let out a strangled scream.

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**A/N:**

**I only need to polish up the next chapter, so the wait shouldn't be too extreme… probably about as long as you guys had to wait for this one, (give or take), which was roughly 9 days. The one after that is at the same stage. Just sit tight until then.**

**Didn't expect all this, now did you? :D**


	32. The Boy with the Wan Smile

**_A/N: Hey! Updating took longer than predicted... but that's what happens when I have school and wrote three big chapters back to back and got burned out when it came down to polishing the content. :B Anyway, enjoy!_**

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A faceless wall of panicked animals rose up from the dark water towards Tanga as she stood along the edge of the bank. The ground shuddered violently beneath her paws. The huffing animals pushed and shoved past her, blinded by the water in their eyes, the dark of the night, and the chaos of the moment. It surprised her that their stupid recklessness hadn't knocked her back into the water, but she couldn't afford to run and hide. In a moment of panic, she'd lost her father and cousin and brother. She had to know where they were. The instinct to run continued to harass her as she vainly called out their names into the din.

Tanga then heard a faint, but distinct, sound that made bile bubble in her throat. The hairs along her spine rose up.

Natin had burst from the churning surface of the river, emitting a loud, gasping scream. She could hardly see where he might be, but she knew he must only be a few lengths away from her. There was no telling how long he would last, so long as the stupid animals continued to roll over top of him as if he were just a log or a rock.

"_Na-tin!"_ Tanga steeled herself and leaped from where she stood. Roaring, she saw the water surge towards her. Seeing, or at least hearing her, the animals yelped and began bumping into each other to get out of her path. Holding her breath, she went under briefly. She was about elbow-deep into the water when she resurfaced. Natin was about the length of her body to the side of her, and she wasn't sure if he even knew she was there. He just crouched there in the water, shaking and blank-eyed.

"_Natin! This way!_' she shrieked. When he didn't respond to her voice, she growled. Stretching her neck, she reached up and took hold of his ear with her teeth. He tried to disengage her grasp by tossing his head. Her body whipped around in the water, but she clung to him for dear life, panting and expelling her warm breath onto his cheek while she continued to pull him awkwardly towards the bank. She thought he heard him try to utter her name, but his garbled voice was carried away by the thunderous stampede. With her help, he eventually began to cooperate the best he could. A little burst of hope filled Tanga.

With jarred and jerky coordination, Natin hauled himself out of the water and halfway up the bank before his legs buckled and he collapsed into the mud, sliding back down into the shallows. Fearing what could be hidden in the dark waters of the river, even with the distraction of the herd as it crossed in relentless waves, Tanga urged him on. Natin was shuddering in agony while she stood at his side and shoved her muzzle under his belly, hoping she wouldn't hit anything that he'd injured.

"Get up, Natin!"

Her urgent shouting was muffled by the mud that instantly filled her mouth, the thunder from the still-crossing herd, and the terrible effort it was taking to raise Natin up by even a fraction. He was about as helpful as a recently dead kill. Her hind paws found no purchase in the mud; no sooner would she find her footing, her legs would come right out from under her. Mud caked her belly. He was so much bigger than her.

She cried, "You're not safe here!"

Natin gave a powerful flinch that rattled through her own body to the end of her tail. His roar was laced with pain, and to hear it made her stomach hitch.

Suddenly, Tanga became aware of Asuma's presence. He scrambled down the bank and slid to Natin's other side. With his jaws, he took hold of Natin's mane at the back of his head. Like a big cub, Tanga watched Asuma do his best to drag the much bigger, whimpering Natin up the incline of the bank. Asuma's neck was shaking rigidly from Natin's weight.

With her jaws, too, Tanga found a hunk of Natin's mane to grab a hold on. Several times, Natin would jerk, sending a twinge of pain through her neck and down her spine. Whiplash. She was thankful the bank didn't rise too far above the riverbed, but with the almost vertical incline, she found the work almost as exhausting as swimming across the actual river. The herd was no longer crossing around them, and had begun to thin. It continued to cross a few lengths away from Asuma, who had his back to them. He seemed to be blocking it all out.

"Natin! Natin!" Tanga gasped, winded. "You... you've gotta tell us what hap... happened!"

But Natin was restless and incoherent as he laid stretched out on the ground. He groaned loudly, his stained teeth gritted. He tried to roll to his paws and stand, but working together Tanga and her brother were able to overpower him.

Then she noticed all the blood on Natin's face and back. With the mud, darkness, water, and the color of his fur, it was difficult to tell at a glance, but she was sure of it.

"Natin, is it your head?" She crouched down, breathing in a sickly-sweet, coppery smell that confirmed the presence of the blood on Natin's face.

"_My head!_" Natin shouted.

"What're we going to do about this?"

Tanga's eyes snapped up to Asuma, who was pacing rapidly on Natin's other side.

"He's dying!" he shouted bitterly.

"No! _No_, he's not!" Tanga's face flushed with anger as a chill of foreboding tumbled through her body. Dizziness set in. Then the bile rose into her mouth and she had to jump to her paws. She turned and vomited.

"Damnit! Get up!"

Fuzzy-headed, Tanga whirled around at the boom of her father's rumbling shout. With one look at his twisted, furious face, she gasped.

"He's injured!" Asuma snarled. The wet and dirty hairs along his back were standing on end, looking a lot like spikes on a thorny bush. "He's been trampled!"

There was a ringing in Tanga's ears.

The anger instantly drained from Kovu's face, his jaw slackening and his eyes widening.

Time blurred and Tanga could hear her heart drumming too loudly in her ears. She was sure only a few seconds had passed before Asuma started to shout their father's name, trying to get his attention. Kovu was standing over Natin, staring at him. His gaze had grown distant.

_ "Hey!"_ Asuma shouted, his voice falling faintly on her ears. She could have been miles away from him, it wouldn't have made a difference. Tanga watched him take a step towards their father.

"What do we do now? Tell us what to do! Take charge for _once_ in your life!"

Kovu seemed to snap out of his trance. Slowly, he looked from Asuma, to Tanga, to Natin. He muttered something.

"Huh? _What_ do you mean _you_ can't do this anymore?"

Kovu was shaking his head.

Tanga's eyes widened when she watched Kovu spin around and dash away. She gasped.

Asuma roared. "Get back here!"

"No,_ don't!_" Tanga's body tensed in horror.

Asuma bolted off after Kovu, chunks of loose earth splattering out behind both of them. Calling her brother's name, she leaped forward and began to pursue; but when she remembered Natin's agonized screams, she tore her eyes away from the horrific sight of her brother chasing down their father and spun right back around.

She crouched beside Natin. "I'm here! Don't worry," she cried, tentatively placing a paw on his shoulder. She lifted her paw a few times before she thought she wasn't going to hurt him. Over and over she called his name, but he was hardly responsive to her voice, let alone a comforting touch.

One of his eyes was firmly closed and clearly causing him pain. It looked... misshapen. He was panting hard, his eyes weeping. It was obvious he was holding in more cries. He had his gaze locked on her, and there was naked terror in his blue eye, but at the same time he was looking right through her.

Her eyesight blurred and fat tears rolled down her jaw.

_This... it can't happen... He can't die like this at all..._

She scooted closer to him, as close as she dared to get. The words burst from her throat. "Natin, I'm sorry! I'm sorry for what I said to you! I had no right to criticize... I'm so sorry!"

Suddenly, his gaze refocused. How coherent he then was struck a nerve inside her.

"Don't apologize," Natin replied, his voice stretched thin with tension. All he could do for several moments was pant. "It's my mess."

Tanga tried to keep her lower lip from shaking. "Why'd you wanna burden yourself with all this? You could've stayed in the Pride Lands!"

He closed his good eye for a moment. "I had somethin' to prove... just like everybody else. It went too far." He opened his eye again. "I'm sorry, _Lewa._"

She tried to get a better grip on his shoulder. "I'll find you help, Natin-"

"Where?" he growled before grunting in pain.

_We're as helpless as cubs again.._

There were fresh tears in his eyes. "Where? Please, don't try. Don't leave me alone..."

Tanga's mind went blank when she registered the pitiful shrillness of his voice. She lifted her head, looked around, and saw that the stampede was over. It was only her with him now. All there was to hear was the thunder of her heart and Natin's panting.

"Listen to me! Please don't leave-"

"I won't!" She put her chin in the dirt next to his face. Her whole body hurt from seeing Natin in such distress. After a moment, she bit her lip. "Do you think... Asuma...?"

"Huh?"

She realized he probably hadn't noticed that Kovu and Asuma had even been there. And after a moment, she didn't need Natin to give her the answer... or at least she knew to never underestimate her brother again.

_He's dangerous... my brother is dangerous..._

"Asuma needs help to get better..." Tanga muttered, mostly to herself. She realized that Natin probably understood her brother better than she did. "Doesn't he?"

"Huh? No, I don't need help... no need help..."

She furrowed her brow and gave her attention back to her cousin. "Na'...? I'm staying right here, Natin. I told-"

Natin's gaze became unfocused again. "He killed my mother," she thought he muttered. "Dead 'cause of him."

Tanga shook him from his shoulder. "Natin? Natin, stay with me!"

He continued to rant. "Asuma is his shadow."

Tanga's eyes widened in horror. She looked around again for help, knowing that it was useless.

"Tanga!" Natin cried softly. "Don't leave me..."

"Never," she firmly told him. Her jaw ached and her body was blazing. "You... you have t'be brave right now..."

Natin's scrunched his eyes closed. She barely caught what he said when he muttered, "I have a headache. My back... it hurts."

With shaking motions, Tanga began to run her tongue over Natin's tense face. His blood-caked fur tasted revoltingly foul, but she desperately wanted to comfort him. While she cleaned his face, he slowly calmed down, though he continued to mutter unintelligibly. What she managed to catch- the words "killer", "revenge", and her brother's name- made little shivers run right through her.

Tanga sniffed, unsure if he could hear her. "It's gonna be okay..." Her voice cracked. "You'll see."

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Running into the dark had been an unbelievably stupid idea. Just idiotic!

He'd yelled for Kovu to come back, but the coward hadn't looked back once! It hadn't taken long for the rogue to outrun him. He'd been determined to run through the pain of his injured paws, but he knew without a doubt they'd slowed him down- same as the fear of getting lost that had held him back from dashing too far into the night. Now Kovu had escaped with his life intact. He'd won that right all too easily.

The son of that rogue stood alone, glaring into the dark. He had to catch his breath. He realized his eyes were weeping and the tears were running down his face. They were tears of anger... or betrayal. He wasn't quite sure. If anything, he was disappointed.

In a burst of energy, he yelled at the top of his lungs into the night: "_You abandoned us!_ Youmonster_, _you_ abandoned _us _again_, and got away with it! Coward!"

Shuddering, Asuma dipped his head between his forelegs and leaned forward with his muzzle inches from the ground, his knees slightly bent. He shuddered several times. The quicker he composed himself again, the better. He knew that much.

Having that monster run away in the most despicable display of cowardice he'd ever seen- also leaving Asuma behind like he'd done- wrapped the entirety of his cubhood into one cruel, solid blow.

_Next time I see him... I won't hesitate to sink my claws into his sorry hide..._

It took him time to be able to stand up straight again. His breath was shaky as he took several long moments to stare into the endless darkness, his gaze sweeping over the savannah. Nobody could be bothered to answer his cries, to come and see what was the matter and claim responsibility.

_Worst part, he can probably see me. He's too afraid to face me... And after all that he promised us. He's incapable of doing good._

Letting out another shaky and embittered sigh, he turned. He winced at his first step.

_Time to limp back and figure out how bad this whole mess is._

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Kiara rolled onto her belly at first light and pushed herself to her paws. Her hip felt sore from where she had fallen on it the previous night when Chaka had swiped at her, but she felt rested as she looked out the mouth of the den and saw that sunrise was fast approaching. She was still alone in the den.

Cautiously, Kiara poked her head outside. No one was to be seen, and she wondered where they'd all slept that night. The morning was cool, and peaceful. She could hear birdsong.

It was as if a storm had passed overnight. But, inwardly, she felt something nagging at her that more was soon to come. She swallowed nervously.

The specific arrival time for Tojo's messenger had been all too vague. Kiara gave a long, deep stretch and headed down the side of Pride Rock into the grass below. Glancing around, she walked to the watering hole and drank until her stomach felt full. The water rippled and lightly touched the tips of her toes. She remained alert, twisting her ears to catch every sound.

Satisfied, she ran her tongue over her damp whiskers, muzzle, and chest before turning back to Pride Rock. She was still alone when she sat down at the presentation point, waiting for Tojo's messenger.

_ "...If you think you're gonna go around me now, you're wrong..."_

Coupled with the look of dismay that'd been on Chaka's face following the near-blow to her head, Kiara doubted if she was up to handling Chaka anymore. She just knew she had to; nobody else would. There was no telling what she had agreed to when Tojo had sent his bird after her. She hoped Tojo would decide to come to the Pride Lands himself. It was highly unlikely that the old lion would do such a thing, but it was their next best bet. Chaka would only continue to spiral out of control until the part of him that did show a little bit of restraint left him.

Kiara shivered when that though surfaced in her mind.

_Tojo is our only 'best' bet, I think... unless Natin's mission has been a success._

She recalled the first time she'd heard Chaka's name. An elder lionesses had been babysitting her, and they'd just returned to the cave where they'd found her parents arguing in hushed voices. At first, she'd curiously assumed her parents had been discussing the lioness Zira's son, Kovu, believing she'd misheard his name. It'd only been a few days since that fateful moment when they'd met as cubs.

"Taking Chaka away from us won't be enough. Our own daughter- she was only feet away from her! She won't rest until she's destroyed us all... or I've destroyed her. It's what Father would've done."

Her mother had said something in response, but she hadn't been able to hear it. Whatever it had been, though, it had made her father angry. The elder lioness had sensed the danger and had ushered the princess away to safety. She'd also failed to answer Kiara's questions, but when she was used to hearing excuses, she'd quickly given up. There were several other slip-ups, but it was the one she would always remember most distinctly... Her father had only been that furious when she'd confronted him at Kovu's exile.

Someone cleared his throat.

Blinking and steeling herself, Kiara slowly turned her attention to her left. "Morning, Chaka," she greeted her brother neutrally.

He nodded, keeping a few lengths between them, she noticed. "Good morning. Messenger come yet?"

"No, no word. Where is everybody?"

"They found a nearby cave to sleep in, so that's where they should still be. I slept outdoors."

Chaka then sat down. He glanced at his paws briefly before meeting her eye. "My apologies are worthless at this point," he said. "Aren't they?"

She tried hard not to make a face. "You never know."

Chaka sighed heavily. "Well... I'm so sorry. I'm an idiot... but I can't help- I'm really sorry."

Closing her eyes a moment, she took in his words, biting her tongue. Guilt nibbled at the edges of her conscious. She knew it was the way she had snuck off that had set Chaka's temper off- would it have killed her to tell him? But she wouldn't bring herself to condone his behavior because of it. It would be wrong, and she knew that. _He_ had been the problem all along. He probably knew it, too... she hoped.

"Tswane visited while you were missing. He urged me to welcome you back with open paws. When I saw you sneaking back into the den, I'd forgotten everything he'd said. Just... gone- all of it. So then I tried to strike you..."

She opened her mouth.

"No, _really,_ I am sorry." His face then screwed up in disgust. "Actually... I think I hate that word... 'sorry'... It doesn't mean anything to me anymore because all I do is abuse it. It's an empty word…

I haven't got a clue what to do with myself- much less a clue on what I've got to do with those lionesses!" he continued. There was a pause when his lip curled slightly. "And Kovu... I'm only trained to face danger with violence. Nothing more. That's what I was raised in. What worse is that it's second-hand training."

When Kiara looked at him again, she could plainly tell he was bearing his soul to her. "Mother said you were raised in a warrior pride."

Chaka nodded regretfully. He looked away in shame and stared out over the Pride Lands. The muscles in his jaw and shoulders jumped. "I can only blame myself for my actions. Just wanted you to know why I'm not equipped to take on this role I've given myself. I don't really wanna think about my past anymore. Even if one of those lions turned up and ordered me to hurt you, and then I did, it would be all my fault." He paused. "That's why I hate Kovu. He was blamin' others, not himself."

The wind went out of Kiara. Chaka's tone of voice felt more sincere than ever- not that she thought he hadn't meant what he'd said other times, especially when he'd asked how she made decisions. It was more like he was accepting himself for who he was instead of trying to fight it and everyone else.

The silence was broken by the flapping of wings. Kiara refocused her gaze and saw the blue bird. It was panting when it landed on the rock.

"You're Tojo's messenger?" Chaka asked, taking a step towards the winded bird.

The bird nodded. "You bet," it managed to say.

"We can wait for you to speak," Kiara said, eyeing the bird sympathetically as her body began to tingle with anticipation. "Catch your breath first."

In the moments it took the bird to calm down, Chaka started to pace, which made Kiara more nervous. When the bird finally nodded, announcing that it could speak again, it fluffed its wings and tucked them into its sides.

"M'king, Tojo; he has one condition."

"What's that then?" Chaka stopped pacing. He gave the bird an uncertain, nervous look, like a naughty cub waiting to see if he'll be punished. "That means he's coming, right?"

The bird ignored the question, instead asking, "How good're y'at followin' orders? Tojo dun like his advice ignored- will y'listen t'him?"

Chaka raised a brow. "Advice?"

"He knows y'temper," the bird explained shortly, saying nothing else. "He's seen it."

"I don't understand this condition, if there is one."

Kiara held her breath when Chaka pursed his mouth. She said his name gently to distract him. When she had his attention, she said, "Even if you don't fully understand what he's offering, take it, Chaka. Tojo will help you."

Chaka frowned frustratedly. "I asked him for fighters, not... not whatever I'm being offered now."

"I think you _do_ know what you're being offered. The timing couldn't be better," Kiara replied firmly. "I also know you want Tojo here, so take it." She sighed. "Please."

His brow was furrowed in confusion when he turned his attention back to the bird.

"M'king's a'slow walker these days," the bird pointed out. "Time's nobody's friend."

Chaka wrinkled his nose and cleared his throat. Looking away, he muttered, "I guess I can't be a stubborn idiot." A little more firmly he added, "I agree... to whatever Tojo demands."

"That's the spirit!" The bird fluffed its wings excitedly. It then ran off the side of the presentation point and started to fly away.

"You can stay and rest if you'd like," Kiara called after it.

"I m'be able t'fly fast, but time's not m'friend, either!" the bird chirped.

"Wait! Wait!" Kiara cried when a sudden thought hit her. "How are Neo and Isabis?"

"They do well. No problems!" the bird answered, its voice growing fainter. "Now, expect Tojo not t'morrow, but th'night after! He walks slow, y'know?"

"Looking forward to it!" Chaka shouted back. His voice and expression were a mixture of so many things that Kiara wasn't sure what he was thinking until he turned to her, his expression lightening up. "Thanks," he said to her, giving her a slight smile.

She couldn't help but smile back. "No problem." Arching a brow, she added, "Now let's go tell the others the good news. They could use it."

"Think I'll let you do all the talking."

The smile faded from her face when she remembered how her pride had shamed her the night before. "Why? Aren't they still angry with me?"

"No, no- I thought you should just... I tend to get in the way and make messes I can't clean up," he stammered. "But I can back you."

She swallowed. She had to hear it from his lips. Her voice was quiet, but clear. It almost sounded like someone else's voice. "Are you giving me back control of the pride?"

"Yes." He'd closed his eyes and scrunched his face, but his response was firm. "I'm no leader... never really have been the type... unlike you."

A slow smile crept onto her muzzle at the guarded compliment. She then felt the urge to admit, "I know what I'm doing just as well as you do. I just yell less."

It seemed to take him a moment before he realized she was just teasing him. He smiled back. "Do you really think that Tojo can fix a big, noisy cub like me?"

_I really hope so..._

888888

A haze lifted. He opened his eyes and realized what he had done.

Dazed, Kovu looked around him. Somehow, he had ended up in a densely-packed thicket of bushes and trees. It was dawn, and the light was overly sharp to his eyes. There was a dull pain in his head. His mouth was dry.

_Is this place near...?_

Furiously, Kovu shook the beginning of the thought from his mind. His back crawled and he gave a nervous cough of guilt.

With a grunt, he pushed his way from the thicket into the open. It felt as if the branches, that dug into his fur like claws, had been ready to reach out and strangle him. For a long moment, he stood there in the open, not looking at anything, only breathing heavily.

_What have I __**done**__?_

He turned his face to the sky. The increasingly deepening blue was spotless. He wished the morning wasn't so quiet- it would leave less room for his thoughts.

_"Kovu?"_

_ I can't remember anymore if Simba's voice had startled me, or if I'd been comforted by it. It was the early hours of the morning, and the children had been born just after sunset of the previous day. Kiara was still exhausted. At dawn, Asuma was going to be presented for all the animals in the Pride Lands to see. In an unconventional gesture, Rafiki had also agreed to present Tanga after her brother._

_ "Kovu? What's wrong?"_

_ It was too late to take those words back, they came out too fast: "I'm scared for those cubs."_

_ "Why?"_

_ Did I really know why... at that time...?_

_ "It'll be okay, don't worry. You have everything going for you now."_

_ Yeah... I thought the same. But now everything's screwed up._

He tried to let the thought die in his head, but the rational part of him knew that the 'everything' was all _his_ fault. _He'd _talked to Zira...

_But she's the devil._

_He'd_ brought Simba to her after _he'd_ lied to _his_ king, the father of _his_ mate...

_But did I force them to fight? No._

_He'd _lied to the entire pride and covered up the murder of the lion he'd _hardly_ lifted a paw to save.

_What choice did I have?_

_He'd_ taken Asuma out to die...

_But you went back for the kid. He lived._

Because of _him_, Chaka had made it back to the Pride Lands.

_He would've made it there eventually. He would have tried to kill you just the same. Rafiki and Zazu still knew._

_He'd _killed Sauda, left Natin to die, left Tanga behind, and had run away from Asuma...

_She was a killer herself, and there was nothing you could do for Natin, the traitor. You still doubt Tanga's intentions, but you know what Asuma wants to do to you, right? He was gonna kill you if he caught you._

Kovu pawed at his head and growled. For every strike against his soul that the rational side of him condemned him for, another part- the darker part- dug up something to perfectly justify his actions and intentions. He realized what he was doing, and it was horrible, but he'd never learned to break the cycle.

It was the cycle his mother had taught him, he knew it. She'd _always_ been clever about saying the right thing to him.

_"Why can't I play with Simba's daughter anymore?"_ She'd told him it was because Simba hated him, and if he was ever caught with Kiara again he'd be killed for sure. Simba was just like that. Anyone who wasn't family was like that.

_"Why do we live here instead of in the Pride Lands?" _All she'd needed to say was Simba's name.

_"How come Nuka gets in trouble so much?"_ She'd told him it was because his older brother was a useless idiot who had nothing better to do. There was no excuse for letting his baby brother go off alone all the time. He was the babysitter after all. Nuka didn't have very many other duties that should distract him.

_"Vitani got in trouble because she was hungry and I gave her some of my food. Why?"_ She'd told him that his sister was just being greedy. She could hunt some mice if she had really wanted to, but was willing instead to take advantage of her brother's kind nature. Disgusting. Lazy.

_"But I don't wanna. He doesn't look sick to me..." _She'd told him that the other cub was certainly very sick and going to die soon anyway. Not to mention that the cub's mother needed to be taught a lesson. She was bad and had knowingly broken one of his mother's rules. It was only fair.

_ Nothing is fair..._ Kovu thought to himself. _Life's certainly not fair._ He knew that if he'd been born in the Pride Lands, or even if Simba had taken him home when Zira had offered him up, everything would have turned out so differently. But even that was a lie to himself. He realized then he was just placing the blame elsewhere... again.

As usual.

888888

"Tanga?"

She stopped cleaning Natin's face. She had stopped a while, but had started up again. Her voice was rough when she said shakily, "Yes? Natin?"

She flinched when a paw grazed her shoulder. It shook her gently.

"Tanga... we should go..."

Squinting, she looked over her shoulder. She blinked. "A... A-Asuma?" Through her blurry eyesight, she saw that her brother was standing next to her. Behind him, she could see the sunrise. The thought occurred to her that hours had passed since the accident.

"Tanga..."

She turned her attention back to Natin. His eyes were closed and he was calm.

She then felt the dampness and greasiness of Asuma's paw. Instinctively, she ducked under his touch and scooted quickly away from him. "Is that...?" First sniffing her shoulder, she then fixed her gaze on his clearly bloody paws. Her ears lowered in dismay. She opened her mouth in a silent gasp.

"No. Mine." He squeezed his eyes shut. She heard the quiet whistle of his breathing. "He got away."

"Oh..." This didn't comfort her either.

"I'm sorry, Tanga. For everything."

She cast her gaze back to Natin's still form. "It's... It's not your fault."

"You're right... It's not my fault." He growled softly. His voice broke when he said, "It's his."

Swallowing, she forced herself to briefly look at her brother's face. "Asuma... why didn't you wanna talk to me? I would've listened. Weren't you alone?"

He moaned in response. He refused to meet her eye. "I had no business burdening you with my thoughts."

Her stomach hitched.

She knew her silence triggered him to look at her carefully, but her focus was again frozen on his bloody, sore paws.

Softly yet firmly, she then said, "I would have _gladly_ shared that burden with you." She finally met his gaze. And held it.

He opened his mouth, but when he must have realized there was nothing he could say, he closed it again. Instead, he moved closer to Natin, inspecting him.

She muttered, "This is a disaster."

"What we need is a new plan."

She thought for a moment. "Is Natin dead?"

His voice was barely audible when he confirmed her fear. "...Or if he isn't already deceased, he will be soon. It's in the paws of the Great Kings now."

She lowered her ears. "He's as good as dead then." She swallowed hard. "I wanna go home."

"We don't know how, Tanga."

"We're gonna try."

He frowned. "We _should_ try to find Kovu."

Tanga shivered and blinked. "There's a slim chance at finding the Pride Lands. How can we find him? I doubt he'll wanna be found so easily, and our family needs to know we're still alive. Don't you miss Mom?"

Asuma didn't answer.

Tanga gritted her teeth. She realized then just how homesick she really was. "Well, I'm gonna go home, and I'm not leaving you alone. I can't."

She was surprised he hadn't run away already. Though, she understood that a little more when she noticed he was blinking heavily and sitting with his head dipping forward slightly. The flesh on his filthy face drooped and he looked gaunt. There was a hunted look in his vacant, blue eyes. She wondered if he was on the verge of collapse while she tried to remember the last time they'd eaten. Walking over to him and bumping her forehead into his jaw, she tried to snap him from his thoughts.

Asuma cleared his throat. He mumbled, "Could you live if you knew he was still out there?"

Tanga closed her eyes. She hated how deep they'd gone into their father's dark world. Nobody was as lost as Asuma, and she feared that the longer the foolish game between her father, brother, and Chaka went on, the chances increased that she would be pulled under, too. Natin already had, and she at that moment feared for her mother as well. "You'll…" she began, her voice catching in her throat. "You'll face him when you're ready… and I think he'll face _you _when _he's_ ready. Not today. Let's go home. Please?"

Asuma turned his head to look at Natin. A crease formed between his eyes. He looked thoughtful.

Tanga grimaced. "What about Natin?" She paused before adding in a voice just above a whisper, "He doesn't deserve this. Can we bury him? Please?"

Stiffly, Asuma pushed himself to his paws. He wouldn't meet her eye. "Tanga... I'm exhausted. We're exhausted. My paws are killing me. The sun will be well above the horizon before we'll have a big enough hole, and we need to put as much distance between the lionesses and us. I doubt they'll find our trail, and I would hope Kovu and Natin hid theirs, but we'll be better off if we can leave sooner rather than later."

The thought crossed Tanga's mind that Asuma didn't give a damn what happened to Natin's body. Inwardly she cringed. She considered why she just didn't ditch Asuma... but feelings of guilt and responsibility wouldn't let her bring herself just yet to answer that thought.

"We can follow the river and maybe it will lead us home, or to someone who can point the way… like Natin suggested. Do you think he would want us to stay here like this? No."

Tears started to well up behind her eyelids. Lowering her head, her lip started to tremble. She agreed. "No…" She stepped slowly towards Natin. Absently, she lifted a paw to touch his shoulder, but then decided she couldn't bring herself to do so. She didn't wanna discover if he was warm or cold, didn't wanna know what she was leaving behind when she assumed there'd be no help for him anyway. She didn't wanna give even more clarity to the nightmare.

"We should go now."

A lump formed in Tanga's throat as she walked backwards a few steps, away from Natin. Inwardly, she cursed. He looked so frail, and she waited impatiently for him to jump to his paws, ready to follow after her and Asuma and lead them back home.

_But he won't… he can't now…_

When she turned around, Asuma was looking at her, his gaze intense. His mouth was a thin line, but otherwise expressionless. As the sun grew higher, the puffiness around his eyes became more exaggerated. "C'mon… we have a long way to go, Tanga."

When her brother started off at a slow, limping jog, running along side the river that looked little more than a wide ditch now, Tanga looked back at Natin one last time.

_This is the beginning of the end… it has to be…_ she thought. _…But I'm afraid of what that end will be like…_

888888

"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."

-Einstein

_**A/N: The next chapter is written but not polished, but I won't guarantee a timely update since that never works, and I want to finish the chapter after that before I post the next one you guys will see from me. XD This is also the last chapter in part three.**_


	33. Approchant de la Fin

**So... this story has been update-less since mid-February... Didn't mean to take that long, but a lot of modification was needed to say what I wanted to say. Classwork has also kept me busy. I get out before the weekend of the 15th, but then I'll be busy moving to another town and school that has better writing classes.**

***Throws update and runs***

**Part 4**

_The moon never lied, though he wished it could. It had shown full again, and to Kovu's disappoint, he'd lost count in marking how much time had passed since Chaka and Kiara had turned him out. He'd counted at least eight full moons before that had happened._

_ Sleep had escaped him all night. Restless,before the sun had risen, he'd set out to patrol the borders. He had walked slower than usual, trying to drag out the morning. The territory was small by his standards, but it kept the lionesses satisfied and him preoccupied. He also knew it mattered little to them whether or not they over-stepped the border onto someone else's land to find food. To his disappointment, there had been no complaints from his neighbors. He considered himself lucky that he had something to do every day, even for a short period of time. As the days went on, the habits and eccentricities of the lionesses bothered him more and more._

_ He flopped down on his side once he had returned. There were several lionesses missing, but he guessed they were away hunting or playing some roughhouse game. Lifting his head slightly, he started to wash his face with his paw. He planned to sleep for the rest of the day, though he doubted he actually would._

_ A shadow fell across his back moments later. Pausing, he looked over his shoulder and squinted against the mid-morning sunlight. He could make out the looming silhouette of a scruffy lioness._

_ "We couldn't find you."_

_ By her voice, Kovu guessed he was speaking to Sauda. "Just out patrolling," he said shortly._

_ "Well... you missed out on the fun. There was a fight."_

_ Kovu raised a brow. "What? Who was fighting?"_

_ "Oh, we found some dumb rogue lioness." Sauda waved a paw dismissively. "Wasn't much of a fight. Nobody got hurt." Finally, Sauda picked something up off the ground and stepped to where Kovu could get a better look at her._

_ Kovu felt his lip go up in disgust and his toes curl at the sight of Sauda's damp, pink-smeared face. There was what looked like the end of a tail in her mouth._

_**What have I gotten myself into with these lionesses?**_

_The rogue grinned back at him, as if reading his thoughts. "She had tons of fight in her. A shame. What a loss." When she sat down near him, she started to carefully lick her chest, a paw resting leisurely over the tail trophy. The fur color of the slain individual was indecipherable._

_ It was nothing new for Sauda and her lionesses to stumble upon some stray animal and pummeled its life from its ragged body. Sometimes, bands of lionesses would vanish for days. Normally, they bragged about it later after cleaning up the evidence. In the beginning, they'd seemed confused when he'd confronted them about it. They hadn't understood that it wasn't normal to murder for sport, and hadn't stopped, since. It had been something they'd grown up with before they'd abandoned their family's dying pride. It was enough to make him gag, reminding him that his family pride hadn't been quite that horrid. Turning away with a grimace, Kovu laid with his back to her, his cheek to the ground, listening in cringing revulsion as she noisily groomed herself. He planned to give her five seconds before he chased her off._

_ "... because we said your name and she asked about you."_

_ Kovu blinked and lifted his head. He turned to Sauda, frowning. "What'd you say?"_

_ Sauda tilted her head to the side. "I said... you must be famous or something because when we were talking about alerting you, she seemed to know who you-"_

_ Kovu's blood ran cold. "She knew who I was?_

_ "That's what Fola said. I mean, I didn't hear her. We were already attacking her when she said it I gue-"_

_ "Did she say her name? What was the color of her eyes? Her fur?"_

_ Nonchalantly, Sauda shrugged and blinked stupidly. "Well, she's dead now..."_

_ He jumped onto his paws and pressed his nose into hers, the moisture causing a chill to ripple throughout his body. "What... was... the color... of... her fur. Tell me now! At least that!"_

_ Shrinking back from him in irritation, Sauda snorted derisively. "I guess brown, Kovu. A little mangy if-"_

_ "What kind of brown? Honey? Light? Tawny?"_

_ Sauda's eyes brightened at the last option. "Yeah, yeah, it was tawny... I think, but why-"_

_ Kovu snarled sharply. "Where is she? I have to see the body for myself."_

_ The other lionesses had gathered at the sound of the disturbance. Looking around, each of the previously missing lionesses had strong evidence of gore on their muzzles, chests, and paws. Sauda had the most, Kovu observed._

_ Sauda gestured with a paw. "There, that way. I can show you-"_

_ Kovu tore off in the direction where she'd pointed._

_**I must know!**_

_The way to where Sauda claimed the lioness's body lay was dense with thorny bushes. Sauda and the others had specifically gone out of their way to hunt the stranger. The faint, dusty, red blood trail left by the murderers' paws had served as his guide to a barely reachable spot. It grew stronger the further he went. As if his body sensed it before he did, Kovu froze and looked around. There was a small clearing ahead of him._

_ Then he saw it._

_**Or what's left over... I can't tell who it is... was... from here.**_

_Before that moment, his imagination never would've conjured up what he saw. Forcing himself to move, Kovu started to walk, dazed, into the clearing towards the remains. His paws were shaking._

_ That's when he looked up..._

_**Natin!**_

_Kovu swallowed hard when he stopped, mid-step, and locked eyes with Natin who had entered the clearing at a point across from him. Natin was bigger than he remembered, but he recognized his nephew instantly. The evidence of his age was the very beginning of a soft mane that ran up along the back of his neck in a rich, brown strip. There was a small bit on his chest that was almost black. His limbs were thicker and more defined. The way he stared back at Kovu with wide, tear-filled eyes made him appear so much younger, despite the undeniable fact he was now clearly a young adult. There were streaks of damp fur on his cheeks. He blinked, as if dumbfounded. Kovu then wondered if his nephew could even roar yet._

_ "My... my.. moth..."_

_ Kovu only realized he was walking forward when Natin's ears flattened against his head. He also gave a shrill growl, hissing as he took a few steps back before genuinely holding his ground. He glared daggers at Kovu, his claws slipping out of his toes._

_ His first instinct had been to comfort Natin. He stopped short and then looked down, realizing in a panic that the body was now directly at his front paws._

_**What have you done...**_

_Averting his eyes, he stifled a gag, and instead let out a soft, wretched growl. He didn't think that any creature was capable of such carnage, such brutality... but he knew nineteen that were supposed to, somehow, help him win back Pride Rock. He had at first feared that Kiara or Tanga had fallen victim- if Natin hadn't been there... he was uncertain if he would've been able to identify the body. There was no hope that Vitani was still alive. With an exasperated sigh, Kovu clenched his stinging eyes. He wondered why Vitani had been so far away from the Pride Lands, and he feared that she'd been tracking him._

_**What's going to happen to Natin now?**_

_He slowly opened his eyes one at a time to find Natin crouched down next to his mother's body, his belly grazing the ground. The young lion couldn't remove his eyes from the life-altering gore, and seemed to be completely shutting out his uncle's presence._

_**What are you going to do about Natin? **__the voice in the back of Kovu's mind demanded._

_ When Natin focused his gaze on him again, Kovu's throat tightened. He forced himself to keep eye contact with the youth, whose nose bridge and upper lip were tinged red. There was deep-seated fear in the young lion's eyes that struck him a blow to the heart. Vitani was dead because he'd associated himself with murderers-_

_**They were all out here in the same environment... maybe she left home because of Chaka and somehow wandered this far?**_

_Kovu brushed the thoughts away and all others associated with them. He realized that with a dead mother, Natin was now at his mercy. He knew without a doubt that Natin was resilient enough to survive the elements alone, but there was a strong chance he'd end up like his mother with the lionesses around. Sauda hadn't hinted to anything, but Kovu would've been shocked to know that they were oblivious to Natin's presence. That part of the territory was normally avoided. Natin might have been a game being saved for later on. _

_ Kovu shivered. He wondered if Natin had watched his mother die. Vitani had probably told him to hide before the attack, unless they'd been separated already. The idea of Natin cowering in the bushes as a spectator didn't agree with him._

_ Still crouching, Natin finally averted his eyes and lowered his head. His shoulders were hunched._

_ Kovu knew that telling Natin to run back home, even if the young lion knew the way, was a risk. He couldn't risk allowing Natin to leave in case the lionesses knew about him and followed, and there was little way for Kovu to get information out of them without waiting for them to brag about it, or without revealing Natin's presence._

_**Put him out of his misery... Look at him- that's what he's expecting...**_

_Then came another thought._

_**But I can't do... that. As a favor to my sister, the least I could do for now would be to take him in, help him until he's strong enough.**_

_Kovu cleared his throat._

_ Natin gave a small growl._

_ "Uh... Natin? Come with me and... I can clean you up... and... and find you something to eat and drink._

_ The adolescent's eyes widened. He gave a soft gasp. He then narrowed his eyes._

_ The clarity of Kovu's mind startled him when he added, lifting his chin, "I'll help you. I can give you everything that you need. Everything."_

_ Soundlessly, Natin stared up at him. A slight breeze ruffled the strip of growing mane at the back of his neck._

_ Kovu tried hard to keep a grimace off his face. "You won't survive without me."_

_ Natin's tone of voice was deeper than the last time they'd been together, and it cracked a little when he spoke. "Just... help bury her first. Then I'll follow you."_

_ Kovu pulled together every scrap of energy to keep a neutral face in his displeasure. In agreement to Natin's request, he walked a few lengths away and started to dig the grave. The young lion watched him, and waited, unmoving. Once Kovu felt the hole was big enough, he stopped and walked back towards Natin and his mother's remains. He wrinkled his nose._

_ Natin jumped to his paws and blocked Kovu's way._

_ "Don't touch her!" Natin snapped. He had Kovu locked in a stern gaze. More calmly, he added, "I can do it."_

_ Kovu blinked and gladly walked a couple dozen lengths away to sit and wait. He tried hard to force himself, but he couldn't bring himself to watch the tedious burial. Natin, however, certainly got the job done faster than he would have. Soon after, Natin spilled the removed dirt back into the hole with great sweeps, scooping it backwards between his hind legs. When he had pushed all the dirt into a small, neat, bare mound, he sat for a long moment facing it. Kovu could hear his nephew say something, but the words were fleeting. Then Natin turned and walked towards him._

_ "I... haven't had water for a couple days," Natin said, as if nothing before that moment had mattered. His expression was as focused as it had been when they'd gone hunting together back in the Pride Lands._

_ Kovu's heart was pounding when he nodded. "I know where to find you some. This way."_

_888888_

"He blindsides our leader, then runs away. It was too good to be true when he promised us a new home-"

"Stop! Lookit that!"

Thirteen lionesses paused and squinted. One took a few steps forward. With the heat of the fading day, only the lionesses with the sharpest vision barely noticed that there was a lump resting on the ground on the other side of the river. They saw the buzzards looming overhead in a dark ring. They looked down at the ground and took note of the severely battered, cracking earth that had been carved up by uncountable hooves.

"It's got a mane! A dark one! Look!"

A lioness scoffed. "So do wildebeest."

As the other lionesses chuckled and continued to mock her, the first lioness insisted adamantly that it really was worth an investigation.

It was clear that Kovu and his beloved family had made a run for the river. When they'd discovered ol' Sauda, they'd found her bathed- from her shredded neck down- in Kovu's scent. Natin's presence was detected nearby, but they believed he hadn't touched her. Then, they'd followed the weak scent trail to the river's edge, where it'd gone cold. There, they'd agreed that any smart creature would cross the river in order to hide a trail. Five lionesses had swiftly crossed and were searching along that bank for clues. They were farther behind the group of thirteen that was still located on the starting bank. The deep blue sky was just starting to show signs of sunset's approach. Their pace had slowed.

"Two of you, go scout. Kovu's tryin' to trick us, that's for sure."

"Trick us..." one lioness chuckled as she waited for the scouts to report. "It was an idiotic plan to say the least. What'd they do? Run one way and back the other? Haha!"

"Naw, that'd be too complicated... right?"

"Psychopaths tend to over-complicate things for themselves. It's all in their heads, see?"

"They left that entire, delicious kill for us. So much for generosity. Kinda serves us right... Now I just have a stomachache."

"Well... when we find them we'll show them just how generous we can be, too."

"Hey, looks like they want us to come see what they found."

One lioness frowned. "Guess it wasn't a wildebeest."

Cautiously, the first few lionesses slipped into the brown water. The rest followed and swam across to the other side. After climbing up the bank, one of the lionesses sent a messenger to the other group to bring them all back together quicker. The remaining lionesses shook out their pelts, refreshed by the cool water.

"Is it Kovu? Did they get him?"

"No. It's Natin... Wow..."

They came upon the still form and loosely circled him. Natin's face was lined in pain. Nobody wanted to go near the corpse, so they remained over a dozen lengths away, coming no closer.

"Well... start searching for a trail. He couldn't have been alone when this happened."

"Kovu did it, I know it."

"He must have done something stupid then to deserve this."

"Stupid is right. I wonder why Kovu trusted that kid in the first place, kept him around. It always felt like he was up to something. Kinda... creepy."

"Do you remember those glares he'd give ol' Sauda? Kovu didn't even look at her that way. He'd give Kovu those same looks, too, sometimes."

"He was a nasty guy. But... we did kill his mom... Guess I'd be pissed, too. Too bad though... He would've made cute cubs, strong ones."

"Stop yammerin' about babies. The others are coming. Let's find us a trail to follow. Sauda's killers _must_ be caught."

The lionesses backed way quickly from the body and searched the ground for paw prints, disturbed terrain, and scents. By the time the rest of the lionesses rejoined them, they'd found three trails: one trail was a mix of Kovu's scent as well as his son's, as if one had been chasing the other; another was slightly stronger and was just the son's alone; the final one was even fresher and was a mix of both Kovu's son and the daughter. It followed the river. They figured the body had been alone for most of the day.

"Do you think that kid actually killed his daddy?" one of the lionesses asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Two left and only one came back."

A few of them snickered.

"That guy? I still think Kovu was lying when he said Abu... Asamba... Asu- whatever, was actually his kid. Though... he did creep me out more than Natin did. I doubt it though."

"And what reason would that kid have to kill his dad-?"

"But does it matter if Kovu's dead? No matter what, _someone_ has to pay. And where do you guys think the kids are going now that things have clearly gone awry... whatever they were doing...? Home."

"That Chaka guy kicked them out, remember? They can't go to the Pride Lands... but another question is... yes, why did Kovu _need_ this elaborate plan? If he had wanted to ditch us, he would have done it long ago. I could tell he hated us, even after all we've done for him."

All the lionesses stared at each other, muttering under their breaths. Finding him, nursing him back to health, catching his meals, continuing their training... taking care of his adopted brat...

There was a quick, irritated snarl. "Wherever they're goin' to, Sauda must be avenged. We weren't raised to sit back on our asses and let debts go unpaid!"

"Yeah!"

"What more can we do than to kill his precious babies! It's fair!"

"If my calculations are correct, then we've missed them by almost a whole day. They must've sat vigil for Natin or somethin' until morning. Surprised the buzzards haven't finished him off yet. Huh, weird."

A dark-furred lioness with several notches in both her ears narrowed her pale-brown eyes in thought. "They have little reason to suspect we've made it this far, clearly. They did nothing to hide their exit. It'll be easy. If we travel through the night, we could catch them tomorrow, the next day at the latest. Bet they stop tonight to rest."

A couple of the lionesses groaned and glanced at each other.

"Hey, aren't you exhausted like the rest of us, Fola? Nobody's slept. We've been too busy burying Sauda and tracking idiots."

Fola's lip twitched. "Right now, we're assuming only it's the two of 'em. This will get harder if they find help. They must be serious about taking that Chaka guy out if they conned _Kovu_ into helping them. We need to take control of the situation." She then shrugged. "But if they're with Kovu, it'll be over in one sweep.

The other lionesses glanced at each other, frowns on their drooping faces.

"Can't we rest a while-"

Fola snarled. She tried to look each lioness in the eye, but most avoided her. "Fine. You rest. I'll scout ahead while it's still light. Whoever wants to avenge our _poor_ sister's heinous murder can come with me now. The rest of you can try and remember the values from our cubhood that you've clearly lost."

Several lionesses rolled their eyes and grumbled as Fola turned tail and stormed off, following te river. Hesitantly at first, one lioness stood to follow, and then a second. The other fifteen remained behind, but after moving away from the body and the river to nap, Fola's words stirred them. They'd all departed by sunset, following Asuma and Tanga's trail.

888888

_We should've buried him..._

Natin's attitude had frustrated Asuma at the end, how he'd lost focus. Now he regretted leaving his cousin for buzzard chow. Tanga had hardly sat vigil. The last thing they needed was to create their own bad luck. Enough of that seemed to be stalking them already.

_Tanga stepped on a thorn..._

_Kovu changed his plans... then ran off..._

_ Natin was trampled..._

_ And now we're lost..._

Asuma curled his lip at the sight of his paws. He lagged hard behind Tanga, walking behind her to hide the full extent of his injuries, and the gap between them widened with every tender step he took. They'd continued to follow the river, traveling through the morning and half a day of draining heat. He doubted it would become cooler any time soon. He glanced up at the sky nervously, his mind fuzzy. He was sick of walking, though he knew it was for the best to keep moving.

_We're cooking alive..._

Panting, Tanga squinted at him over her shoulder. She was slowing down.

Asuma moaned quietly and lifted his head to walk a little taller when he widened his stride to catch up to her.

Tanga suddenly halted. Her legs trembled every few moments. "Asuma... aren't we gonna rest?"

He replied, slowing down, "We'll thank ourselves later if we don't. One more mile."

"But we can't tire ourselves like this." She shook her head slowly. "I'm hungry. Couldn't we rest, hunt after dark? All the animals are gonna come out. It'll be cooler."

Flinching, Asuma vainly tried to silence his stomach when it issued one of the loudest growls he'd ever heard.

Tanga flicked her ears and lashed her tail. "We should stop-"

"No... w-we really shouldn't." He had yet to black out or crumple to the ground in a broken heap, by some miracle. He knew the idea of resting, even for a short while, made him anxious. It also repulsed him when he considered that he was likely equating it with failure.

_Might as well quit at this point..._

When he saw Tanga look away and then down at his paws, he growled warningly.

Her voice cracked. Her eyes were bloodshot. "It's so hot, Asuma..." Again she shook her head, her ears and eyelids drooping.

The words came out in a rush. "There's water right there. Take a drink. You'll catch up, right?"

He at first thought the twitch in Tanga's upper lip had been imagined when she huffed loudly. "But we've already stopped."

Uncertain and irritated, he tried hard not to snarl when he walked forward and then past her. She wasn't listening to him, though that was normal. "We'll rest once we've gotten home..."

"...want to go home..." she muttered vaguely.

His face flushed. Squaring his shoulders and turning part-way around, he shot her a glare. He knew his teeth were bared. "_What_ was that?"

For some reason, he'd expected her to look surprised, shocked. Instead, anger darkened her weary features until her expression mirrored his. "You're not deaf- I-I said... Look, why're you pretending that you actually want to go home? You _only_ do because nobody here is gonna help you hunt Kovu."

His mouth shot open to retort some scathing comment. He realized a heartbeat later that he had... nothing. He didn't know why. His face flushed again. On an empty belly, he now felt extremely faint. He braced himself for a bickering match similar to the one he'd had with Natin only days before. At least Tanga wasn't known for being a bully.

_Speak!_

"-Accomplished nothing! Nothing! Just destruction! Between you and Natin-" She paused to growl and whip her tail. "Y'know... Natin never shoulda returned! He only needed you because _he_ couldn't make himself kill Kovu! I'm... I'm so angry with the both of you! Neither of you thought about the consequences!"

He had to sit down. _Don't take this! She's just getting started. We did think, and that's partly how she found out!_

"You're _obsessed!_ Somehow, Natin knew your potential for hatred and you took advantage of his strength. Do you get just how _scary_ that is?"

Only an idiot would've dared to think her anger was completely ambushing him. They were hungry, tired, sore, lost, in low spirits, and worst of all, alone. Since her initial reaction to the news that Kovu was still alive, her feelings towards their motives had been slightly less than subtle. Though Natin had probably downplayed it, Asuma wondered then how their argument had gone. He imagined Natin hearing her out as she tugged at his wounded morality and consequently losing sight of what was important: making Kovu pay.

"-blocking me out!"

When he refocused, Tanga had moved closer. Her alert eyes were burning. Several pronounced wrinkles were on her muzzle. Her voice was shrill. "Just forget about _Kovu_! He doesn't care one bit about us, maybe never did! He-he's lied to us, he didn't even bother to explain his side of the story, and he ran away! He's a crazy creep... just like his own mother! We _never_ shoulda told him Chaka was the reason we left, and now _we're_ the ones who've excused him from hurting our family again!"

He lost his balance momentarily when she shoved his chest roughly with her paw. He felt humiliated when he let out a grunt that sounded more like a squeak.

"And don't _ever_ leave me alone again, Asuma." She tried to look away, to hide her eyes. Her voice shriveled into nothing more than a strangled squawk. "You left Natin and I alone when he was dying. You can't do that. _This_- you and I- now it's all we have."

Staring wide-eyed at his sister, to his confusion, he suddenly found that he was more hurt than enraged, as he had been when Natin had turned nearly the same things on him. He had no more energy left to muster up the anger he needed desperately to stand up for himself. It chilled him.

His voice sounded small. "I had to confront-"

"He's not worth it! Understand?" She narrowed her eyes. "He hurt you, so you're gonna hurt him? No, that's not my real brother who I'm supposed to love... He wouldn't hurt anybody. You even kept a _huge_ secret from me, just so I wouldn't know the truth about how horrible Kovu is."

He swallowed.

The hairs along her spine lifted. She suddenly looked less terrified. "That look on your face, Asuma..." She poked him square in the chest.

He thought she was actually smirking!

"You're dyin' to say 'but you don't really know me then'," she continued, mimicking his voice. "I know you better than you realize. Now all I see is a young lion who firmly believes the only way he can survive is to pretend, lie, and act on impulse because he thinks that if he waits too long, he'll become a coward... And he's drilled it into himself that if Kovu dies... he'll finally have peace. He owes you, doesn't he? You're selfish, but you're also bound to him now. Am I right? Of course I'm right... You know it, I know you do."

It was then he realized his mouth had fallen open and he closed it. His muteness remained unbearable.

"Look..." For a moment, she couldn't stand him. That perhaps his pitifulness was distasteful or contagious, and she looked away. "All Mother and the rest of them were gonna do was help cover up your symptoms. Admitting something was wrong with you meant facing the past. That was wrong. I've said that before. I _knew_ there was something wrong, but I was afraid I'd offend you if I pried too much... and I had no _idea_ how bad it was." She turned her green eyes on him once more. "I didn't wanna be wrong about you. Turns out I was right, though. I feel like I'm too late... I wish more than anything that _you_ would tell me that I am wrong. That you're actually scared shitless."

He realized too late that she was waiting on him. Aside from the dumb head shake he gave, his silence was enough.

"Don't you remember what Nala said about Scar-''

"Don't _you dare compare him _to _me_!"

Tanga's eyes widened and she said nothing at first while he sat there panting.

The words errupted from his mouth. "How you tell me I'm so wrong makes me sick! For someone who excuses the existence of the Great Kings," he retorted, "you sure spend a lot of time trying to cram your morals down my throat!"

Her eyes flashed and narrowed. Her shoulders tensed up and her head lowered. For a split second, he believed she would attack him, but she stopped herself. He saw her claws retract. Her shoulders relaxed slightly.

"C'mon..." he taunted her, a small, nervous shiver running down his spine. "Natin didn't have the guts to-"

Her cool voice was level and clear. "Anyone with eyes could say that with each passing day your soul blackens. You hate everybody, including yourself. You're ill, Asuma. Why's it so horrible that I'm willing to help you get better if you'd only let me in? Can't you see that I'm trying my best, even if it's clearly not enough? This is all I know, and it's what Grandfather would've wanted. I just want a chance."

Asuma balked. _Huh...? What is this? I insulted her, and she's... trying to rescue me?_

"You dream of killing Kovu every night, don't you? Huh? Is that it? Can't you tell me?"

This time, her stare was inescapable. She wasn't going to let her question go unanswered. He felt like vomiting when a rush of cold settled over him.

"I... uh..."

She took a noisy, irritated breath and finally sat down. "Asuma, just tell me..." She scooted closer, a wrinkle forming between her softening, but firm, gaze. He was astonished that tears weren't rolling down her cheeks.

_Why should I tell her? What's the point? There's no turning back, right?_

"Tell me!" she then snarled. "That's an order!"

His heart was racing, his jaw stiff.

Suddenly, the land behind Tanga tilted at a sharp angle. He squinted. The edges of his eyesight darkened, and in a quick rush it was like looking down a long, dark tunnel. Tanga's silhouette grew fuzzy, and he barely registered what was happening before he fell forward and crumpled to the side.

Moments later, something saturated with water smacked him over the side of his face. His head shot up. A heartbeat later, he was choking from a small burst of water that had fallen onto his eyes and nose. His paws were crush beneath him. When he forced open his eyes, squinting painfully in the sharp light, he saw that Tanga was soaked up to her ears. He had the shakes.

A paw pressed his shoulder. "Stay down. Are you ok-"

"Leave me alone!" He shrugged off her paw quickly and tried to sit up, but the blood started to rush away from his head. His face radiated with embarrassment. Realized there was no choice but to stay down, he put his cheek to the ground while his nose and throat burned from the water.

She paused, as if ready to say something. She then said firmly, "We're resting. No exceptions."

He coughed. "Fine."

When he looked up, Tanga seemed to be jogging for the nearest tree for shade. There wasn't much that time of day, just enough for herself, he suspected.

His anger had returned, circulating through his shocked system. It was accompanied by guilt.

_Maybe I __**have**__ been too willing to become a monster..._

He tried to ignore the feelings, pushing them away as he laid there with one tender paw covering his face. His eyes burned.

_Why can't I be strong?_

_888888_

Nightfall had arrived when Asuma finally lifted his paw and refocused his attention. He'd dozed off and on; his mind had been on overdrive- hard words and images tormenting him as he laid out in the hot sun, too weak and stubborn to move. He'd also dreamed again of the rainstorm, listening helplessly as the booms of thunder sounded more like taunts unstead of crashes. He also remembered someone call for help in the distance, but he had remained alone. He hadn't been able to find Kovu.

He could hear his pulse in his ears when he stood up and staggered gracelessly to the side. A flash of pain brought white lights before his eyes.

_I need water..._

He cursed himself for being so stubborn as he crouched down and tediously crawled to the river's edge. He was glad the waterline wasn't too far below him. He slid down the bank slope with a grunt and took an uneven breath. His vision was spinning, and he hoped that there were no predators lurking under the water. He drank, filling his belly, before he climbed back up the bank. Crawling back to his spot, he stretched out on his side.

_I want to do something that I don't screw up... something I can be proud of..._

He wasn't sure how long he'd been laying there when he finally lifted his head, his headache slightly diminished, and started to clean his paws. They had crusted over, but he knew if he was careful enough, they wouldn't open.

_Tomorrow will be a delight-_

A faint sound caused his ears to perk up. He'd heard a similar sound moments before, but had ignored it. Listening, he cocked his head to the side. Now it genuinely sounded like someone was calling for help. Asuma sat up, resting on his haunches, and waited. His narrowed eyes scanned the dark, tree-scattered, grassy landscape. He was listening to the chirps of crickets when he heard the echoing, distant cry once again. His toes grew cold.

_I'm not still dreaming, am I?_

On a whim, he glanced from tree to tree. He hadn't bothered to notice where Tanga had exactly gone. He frowned when he couldn't spot her.

He cleared his throat. He called hoarsely, "Tanga?"

_C'mon... c'mon!_

His cry was stronger this time. He stood up. "Tanga!"

His voice echoed, and moments later he heard the cry again. He started to toddle slowly towards the trees, hoping that Tanga was just laying close to the ground in the short grass, and that he was only imagining things. At night, her fur did blend better. His pace quickened when he still couldn't spot her, and soon he was skidding towards the base of the nearest tree. Circling the tree, he tried put himself in Tanga's perspective, his anxiety rising.

_Okay... okay... she'd try to find a trail... So where is the start of the trail?_

Unable to pinpoint the direction of the voice, and hesitant to run off blindly into the darkness, Asuma had to go back to where he had been lying in order to pick up the trail she had left when she'd stormed off initially. He found that she'd decided to rest under a different tree than the one he had circled before, but not much farther away. Glancing up at the thick, leafy branches, he could see why. Just to be sure, he called her name again. Still there was no answer.

_Okay, you've found where she was sleeping... now what?_

He started to shake, grasping for _any_ idea that might come along. His mind was blank, paralyzed. Forcing himself to breath and think coherently, he put himself in Tanga's perspective again.

_She'd... follow the trail. Right._

The cries had stopped momentarily, causing his throat to clench. He found the trail that led away from the tree, away from the river, and began to follow it. After following it for a while, he glanced over his shoulder nervously.

_Getting lost won't help anyone-_

"Help!"

Asuma stopped in his tracks. The voice sounded hoarse, but not too far away. It also sounded miserable, but Asuma thought it also carried a hint of renewed hope. It seemed to come from the complete opposite direction of Tanga's trail, which had abruptly changed direction moments before.

But the voice was male.

"Help! Hey!"

Asuma stiffened. _What do I do?_

The whole situation confused him. He couldn't detect any other lion's presence nearby besides Tanga's when he put his nose to her trail. At the point where she had changed directions, he had noticed that it looked like she'd dug her claws into the ground before taking off. As far as he could tell, she had changed directions on her own, without pursuit from danger. He figured she was out hunting and had rushed her prey.

_But she should have heard me... right?_

He also knew that if he followed the voice, it meant confronting the lion on the other end, regardless if the lion was truly distressed. At his current position, the grass tended to grow taller than it had closer to the river, making it harder to see. The voice sounded much closer now.

_I'm in no condition to defend myself... What if it's a trap? Maybe he heard Tanga and started calling for help... and she went to find him but went the wrong direction at first... and then doubled back and he attacked her?_

He heard a weak, coarse roar before more cries came out of the darkness.

_But it might not be a trap..._

It came out of nowhere, the thought. Somehow, it frightened him more than the idea of being attacked. Bile rose up from his stomach into the back of his throat.

"Help! I'm stuck!"

Only after he'd taken a dozen steps did he he realize he'd abandoned Tanga's trail. He had no idea where she was or where she had gone, but the voice pulled him forward. Suddenly, he wondered if he was clinging to some crooked desire that he would find Kovu on the other end of the voice. He didn't recognize the voice, but it was weak and rough, altering it. Getting closer, he began to creep along the ground in the tall grass, afraid that if he were heading into a trap, he would rather not call out to announce his presence. Now aware, the hopeful thoughts of finding Kovu grew stronger.

_Just forget about him!_ Tanga's voice shouted in his head.

"Hey! Hello?"

Asuma was sure that the shuffling of grass had alerted the distressed creature, when suddenly he reached out one of his paws and all he felt a large pocket of empty space. His whole foreleg had plunged into a deep hole. He could feel himself falling forward. With a surprised, low hiss, Asuma shot back onto his hind legs. His muscles ached. He knew the owner of the voice would've been blind not have seen his foreleg.

"Hello?"

Swallowing, Asuma stayed still. Through a few blades of grass, he could see the gaping, black mouth in front of him, nothing more. Surrounded by grass that roughly grew as tall as his belly, it was easy to see how dangerous it was.

"I hear you breathing. Aren't you going to help me out of this hole?"

Asuma's stomach fluttered as he pushed through the blades of grass with his muzzle and slowly peered over the side of the hole. Down below was a lion, older than Chaka or his mother, with a red-brown mane. Asuma's vain hopes were crushed. Irritated, he couldn't decipher the color of the lion's filthy fur against the darkness of the hole. He mostly saw the lion's tired, reddish eyes. The hole itself reached well above the lion's head, and all around the rim, Asuma noticed there were long claw marks that ran down the sides of the very cleanly-dug hole.

The lion cleared his throat, a smile on his upturned, grinning face. He stiffly pushed himself to his paws and rasped, "Well? What do y'think? Can you get me out?"

888888

He was astonished at how far the lionesses had come.

_Stupidstupidstupid..._ _killing her was the dumbest thing I could've done..._

He'd made a mortal error, letting his irrational anger take over... he'd let his fear get the best of him, too, when he had ditched Asuma... again... Knowing there was only a whisker-of-a-chance that his cubs had waited for him, Kovu had ventured back to where he'd left them to their own devices. What he'd found instead had been Sauda's lionesses, and he'd quickly ducked behind a tree. His heart shuddered and ached in his chest. They were talking loudly.

He wondered what it would finally take for the Great Kings to finally end their game with him... The lionesses had rendered their escape pointless.

Squinting, he caught bits and pieces of their banter.

"...Going to the territory Kovu talked... must be avenged! ...Raised... debts go unpaid!"

All the lionesses gave an excited shout in agreement.

"...We do than to kill...! It's fair!"

"...Missed... a whole day. They must have sat vigil for..."

Kovu closed his eyes, a small whimper escaping him. _Natin! He didn't make it... not him..._

He'd noticed how they avoided the body they'd found, as if it were diseased. If they hadn't been so superstitious about dead bodies, especially creatures they hadn't killed themselves, he knew they would've been prodding him with their claws and using his tail as a toy.

After arguing, three of the lionesses departed, following the river. One of them he recognized as a lioness named Fola, who he considered to be just as cruel as Sauda, if not more. He cringed. The rest remained behind, lingering nearby until sunset, when Kovu guessed they'd felt too guilty to laze about. As he sat there, a tingle running down his back, he realized that Natin was out in the open, and that he couldn't leave him like that. Not like that at all. The buzzards had consistently grown closer to their meal on the ground. He still had time enough before the lionesses circled back- he hoped they were following his trail instead of his cubs'.

_And when they do come for me... I'll be waiting for them..._

The lionesses were well out of sight and ear by the time he'd gathered enough courage. His advance was slow, and the last, thin bit of hope that made him grip onto the idea that it was only a young wildebeest, or a buffalo, dwindled the closer he crept. Each step he took toward the forlorn body felt like he was stepping on fire. Once or twice he glanced upwards at the dry calls of the hyenas-with-wings while they circled overhead, crowning the sky above Natin with a macabre halo. He could smell the dried blood on the ground. When he came close enough to touch the body, Kovu's sight was so blurred that his lesser judgement lied and told him Natin was merely asleep.

_I... I should have given you better..._

It took him a moment to realize that he was hesitating. He knew the longer he hesitated to bury Natin, the harder it would become to start the process. He stepped a few lengths away and started to claw at the ground. The ground was uneven and lumpy from the stampede, and the first layer was dry and difficult, worse than it had been with Vitani's grave. It took the most energy, reminding him that he hadn't eaten for days. He'd just had no appetite.

Eventually the dirt became softer and easier to move. Twice he was forced to push the pile away from the hole to keep the moved earth from falling back down into the grave. Five times he had to stop all together to collect his nerves. He was draining of energy and felt lethargic when the work was only half done.

_Now... Natin..._

There was nobody there to help him this time. He planned to grab one of Natin's forelegs with his jaws and drag him into the hole. He cringed, remembering that Vitani hadn't been nearly as neat to properly bury, but it hadn't been his job to do so. Groaning, he climbed out of the hole to start the process. He anticipated Natin's weight. He couldn't count how many times he hesitated- flinching away and then having to try again and again and again. With a growl, he more sincerely tried to bunch up the muscles in his shoulders to lunge at Natin's paw... but failed.

Everything in his vision doubled. With a sudden, violent sway, Kovu knew there was something dangerously wrong. He wasn't merely tired; it felt as if all his energy was wasting away into the ground he stood on. Unsteady, he stumbled and tripped over his own paws and tumbled into the medium-sized hole. When he fell, his back hit the bottom of the hole, knocking the wind from him. Gasping, his legs flailed weakly at the dust-filled air above him as he tried to turn over and climb out.

_What's happening?_ he thought weakly. His neck relaxed and his head then lolled to the side. He was curled up in the bottom of the hole. He had to clench his eyes to shut out the furious spinning.

Then... darkness...

* * *

**For the next couple chapters, you'll have to bear with me: due to the pacing of the story, the time of day is going to be nighttime for a little bit, and you'll see why when I get around to posting the next chapter. The 'longest chapter**' **is now up to 7,500 words, or 14 pages in Word. This 4th part is going to be tying up the rest of this story. I can't tell you how many chapters there will be at the end, but it'll be closer to 40 than 35.**


	34. Divine Interventions

**A/N: Time for an update!**

**88888888  
**

Confused, Kovu halted and looked around, finding himself surrounded by a clear, shallow, endless, watery landscape. It was dark, and from what he could see there were only the bright stars above his head, a large, radiant moon set in an otherwise inky-black sky, and a tiny speck on the horizon that was too low and bright to be a star. A refreshing breeze played with his scraggly mane while he lifted up his paw to inspect his damp toes. Standing in ankle-deep water was far more comfortable than standing out in the open, entirely vulnerable. The longer he stood there, the more stifled he felt, making his muscles tense and his head lower in distrust.

The peace had to end sometime. But he hadn't dreamed of this landscape before.

_The clarity... it's abnormal... What is this place? Am I actually dreaming? Where's the horde? The accusing glares, shredding claws, and the dying cackle? Did I die? Where am I? I passed out, didn't I?_

No... he didn't have pale fur and a light brown mane... nor sad, bewildered, blue eyes. Kovu's limbs began to tremble, but the reflection on the water remained undisturbed. It was crystal clear, and he made out every detail on Asuma's weary face when the younger lion squinted back with an irritated scowl, his teeth peeking out behind his lips. The reflection mouthed something that Kovu couldn't understand.

"What d'you want from me!" Kovu leaped back, and the reflection performed just as if it were really his. He jumped back again, and it did the same.

Asuma's reflection continued to shout soundlessly at him, and soon Kovu swore there were tears on his son's face.

In the next moment, Kovu realized that his cheeks were damp as well.

_What's happening to me? Is this some sort of cruel hallucina-?_

"Kovu."

Kovu flinched wildly. His fur stood on end when he turned to the cool voice, and locked eyes with a tawny-colored lioness. She was standing within reaching distance. He squinted at her, alarmed by how she'd snuck up on him. Soon, searing guilt was clouding his thoughts, and his breath quickened. Self-consciously, he scrubbed a paw over his face. His voice cracked and lost strength.

"Vi... Vit-an..."

She stood steady, when he fully expected her to attack and rip him to pieces for what had become of Natin. Her posture was relaxed, but a look deep in her eyes, past the nonchalance and barely disguised curiosity, told him otherwise. While he watched her, he noticed how whole she appeared, without so much as a tuft of fur out of place. Even well-fed and prospering in the Pride Lands, she would've looked ill in comparison to that moment... unlike the Vitani he met regularly in his nightmares... He shook his head to chase away the image of a decaying, pieced together monster that had begun several nights before to hunt him in his dreams. As he shook his head, he closed his eyes, and then became afraid to open them.

"You'll wanna know why you're here, then, won't you?"

He cracked open an eyelid. "Huh? Here?"

Without answering, the solemn-faced Vitani turned away from him and started walking.

His jaw went slack for a moment before he swallowed hard. He called, "Am I dead? Or am I dreaming?"

Still walking, Vitani looked over her shoulder. "Well, you'd prefer...?"

He began to follow her, and looking up, he wondered if she was leading him to the spot of light on the horizon. He then glanced down hesitantly at his reflection; his companion. It was back to normal. He let out a sight of relief, though a chill of uncertainty remained, as he replied nervously, muttering, "It's the dreams that I can wake up from... So which is it? Did I wake up dead?"

"No." Her tone was brisk. "Not yet."

He was reminded of the times when Zira had taken them out to watch a hunt or train, and the two younger cubs had followed behind her in a line. He gritted his teeth, feeling like a stray his sister had picked up and was delivering to some strange place. If he wasn't dead, then what was happening? What was his sickly mind cooking up for him now to experience? The water was new, and so was Asuma's reflection. Normally the landscapes of his nightmares were terribly hilly and overgrown with dead, tough vines and thorns. This place was... _beautiful..._

"Won't..." They'd been walking for a while before he gathered up the courage to try speaking to her again. "Won't you tell me where 'here' is?"

"Here is the realm of the ancestors."

His brow lifted. "And I'm not dead...?"

"Just fainted."

Kovu's ears pressed into the side of his head. His stomach felt like it was trying to gnaw its way out of his belly. He tried to swallow down his fear, but he ended up coughing instead.

Simba had once mentioned that a king of Pride Rock could be counseled by his ancestors during periods of turmoil. Several times, he'd caught Simba talking quietly to flickering stars, assuming that he was only having private time with his dead father. He also knew that Rafiki had routinely read twigs, pebbles, and feathers. Kovu had never understood the purpose in doing such things, and had wondered if he'd be expected to talk to stars and take direction from Rafiki once he became the next rightful king, never considering there was much behind the actions. If he was in the 'realm of the ancestors', he had no idea what to expect there, on top of the fact that he'd never really considered himself the true king once he was given the title. As a pretender, he would've been _kidding_ himself to indulge in such a belief. He was no king, and he knew there was no reason for him to be treated as one. There were plenty of other titles he'd definitely earned over his lifetime.

He straggled behind his guide. Heart racing and head pounding, and short of breath, he anticipated judgements rivaling ones passed onto Scar. Kovu closed his eyes.

_I'm not Scar... No, I'm not. I know I'm not a monster like him... close, but not like he was. Really... I'm not... But they'll be just as understanding as everybody else..._

"Ouch!"

"Yeah, there's a step there."

Lifting his paw, Kovu realized that beneath him was a nearly solid path of flat, brown rocks, laid out in an intricate, unnatural pattern. Looking over his shoulder, alarmed, Kovu saw that the brown path had cut through and rose up gently out of the endless water a few lengths behind him. The hard earth under the water turned into grass on the path's sides about a whisker's length after the water ended. He hadn't noticed the change, even though those were clearly his and Vitani's wet pawprints on the ground. It was lighter around him, and he realized they'd made it to the spot on the horizon. He wondered if it was easier and quicker to travel through the ancestor's realm.

"Huh..." was all that managed to come out as he took the first step, his toes still slightly numb. Turning his attention forward again as he climbed the series of steps, he saw, aside from Vitani, that the path was about as twice as wide as his body was long, and on either side was lush, green grass that extended out infinitely in both directions. Ahead of him stretched a steep hill, into which the steps bore. He squinted and saw that there were two boulders at the top. Once he made it to the top of the steps where the path flattened out again, winded slightly, he saw that the boulders were actually two large statues; one was a full-sized bull elephant with long tusks, while the other was an entwined lion couple of surprisingly equal size. The lion appeared to be protecting his lioness while they rested with their foreheads pressed together.

Kovu turned his attention back to the path ahead of him. It continued to extend far behind the immense statues before it melded with more, shorter, but much wider, steps, which led up to a semi-open-looking structure. The structure rose far above their heads, causing Kovu's eyes to widen and his neck to strain. The structure was taller than Pride Rock, and just as wide, if not wider. The path was no longer open to the sky, covered by a ceiling that was decorated on the outside with colored etchings that he couldn't make out. It was still shadowy despite the well-formed, lit torches placed every few lengths on the rough, thick, strange-looking walls. The "walls" were straight up and down, almost tree-like, but made out of pale stone, and elaborately decorated at the bottom with small, colorful images of leaves, prey animals, and lions at rest. Their trunks had long, vertical etchings on them that went from the bottom to the top.

"They all live here- the Council."

Kovu jumped at Vitani's voice. At the mention of the Council, Kovu's muzzle curled into a distrustful grimace. He'd heard enough from his two families to know that members of some mystical Council were the ancestors with the most authority.

Vitani turned to look at him, her eyes taking his expression in.

He avoided looking at her, his understanding growing sharper and more panicked. She wasn't just showing him this place.

"This is their temple complex," Vitani explained, walking towards it, giving up trying to make eye contact.

"Huh?" Kovu blinked and raised a brow. "Temple? That's what this _thing_ is?" He followed her slowly.

She nodded and walked up the steps. She stopped at the top, at the entrance, watching him cautiously follow, before turning again to enter the structure. Her voice began to echo. "Humans used to build temples like this one as tributes to their gods and goddesses," she replied lightly. Inside, the tree-like structures went back into the main structure in row upon row, into the murky shadows. Every so often, there were cut outs in the ceiling that let in some starlight, and, somehow, a partial chunk of the moon. Squares of light highlighted the ground every few lengths.

The word "human" wasn't new to him, and it carried a dreadful connotation. He'd heard that they walked upright like Rafiki and mostly carried staffs with sharp points at the end. Others could somehow kill a lion just by looking at him. Some were dark-skinned like hippos, while others were pale like young flamingos. The pale ones were the most dangerous.

"Apparently the ancestors who saw the temples were kinda fond of their... elegance, despite the unfortunate events that allowed them to actually see them. Humans captured and then traded them to other humans far from home. They say rejected humans and criminals were tossed to hungry lions for punishment. Other lions were slayed mercilessly to keep away boredom. Humans are funny. It's like they'd die if they couldn't exert their power over another living creature."

Kovu flinched, but he noted how Vitani was deliberately ignoring him as she walked in the lead, telling her story. He lowered his head in thought. He didn't think she was just babbling on about living quarters and humans. It irked him most when she'd mentioned humans building their "temples" for gods and goddesses. Here, the Council had created something similar and powerful to _live_ in, despite the bad memories. He knew something like that had purpose behind it.

_Is Vitani warning me? This... thing... isn't practical at all._

"And personally," his sister went on, her voice taking on a slightly more bitter tone, "I wouldn't want to live in a place in death that reminded me of how I'd been murdered for fun. I prefer the simplicity of the grasslands, away from the Council."

She then glanced casually this time over her shoulder, smirking crookedly.

Kovu had to turn his face away, his face growing flushed. _Yes... I know..._ If there was any hope in his mind that Vitani was going to sympathize with anything he might tell her, it disappeared at that moment. Not only was she putting a scare into him, but telling him how unlike them she was. He wondered if saying sorry would help... for dragging her into his mess, for threatening to harm Natin, for the way she'd died, and for using Natin... but it was useless if he couldn't form the words out loud.

Her tone was brisk again. "Speaking of the Council- I hope you've gathered by now that this is more than a tour." She stopped walking and turned partially to him. "You're meeting them."

When he stopped, too, his mind immediately began to calculate out the consequences of running the other direction. The muscles in his throat ached while he closed his eyes and he pointed his nose at the ground, stretching out his claws. The sound of his claws scraping the stone echoed through the structure and his disturbed mind.

Vitani cleared her throat.

He opened his eyes again. Now she was near enough he could easily touch her, his personal space breached. So up close, he sensed that his sister wasn't the same lioness he'd known in life... yet she was the same. Now she was allowed to live comfortably without having to deal with feuds or basic needs.

_Or me... and yet I'm here with her... It's almost as if she's never met me before, only heard of what I've done to others. She picks at me with her eyes and her words. I can't hurt her anymore than I already have... She's no longer my friend, but I don't think I'm an enemy._

"Look..." she began. "They wanna meet you, Kovu... some more than others. Regardless, they all find you... interesting."

_You're just their toy... and now they're finally getting around to meeting you? You're just as much a novelty as this stupid temple! What's next to throw at you? Huh?_

Kovu scowled, his averted gaze narrowed. He muttered, "Well... I'd rather not be 'interesting'."

Out of the corner of his eye, some of the patience on Vitani's face slipped away. "You'll tell them that? To finally leave you alone?"

"No!" His eyes widened and he looked her full in the face. "Of course not! I can't tell them _that!"_ His voice was harsher than he'd intended when it came back to him, but his sister didn't even blink. "I mean..." he stumbled, feeling foolish, "I... I don't know. Maybe." His face warmed; from anger, embarrassment, sadness, or guilt, he was unable to decide. "I don't know."

"The longer you hesitate," she told him, her voice stern, "the less happy they'll be with you. It's a_ privilege _for you to be here, and if I were you, I'd make this situation as easy on myself as possible. Get it?"

He glanced away, uncertain.

With a huff, she shook her head. "I'm gonna start walking now. I'm keeping my attention forward until I get to the Council. Just keep walking straight, don't wander off." She then turned and motioned with a jerk of her head. "See that glow at the end of the passage? That's where they are. Stop wasting everybody's time." Vitani then gave him a pointed look before she wordlessly walked away from him in that direction.

Kovu's eyes followed his sister, but when she was out of sight, his paws remained rooted to the hard ground.

The instinct, surviving at all costs, pumped through his veins. It had been embedded in his mind since his first cubhood memories.

_You fought back until the enemy succumbed. You used every scrap of energy just to keep away starvation. If there were any obstacles in your way... you removed them._

Kovu sat down, his chest aching. He looked up and saw the small glow of light Vitani had spoke of, signaling the end, or the center, of the Council's gaudy temple. The light was a soft orange, as if it were produced by a concentration of torches. The sight only served to raise his anxiety, rather than comfort him. He though he heard a buzz, maybe of distant, jumbled voices. He wondered if Vitani was telling them at that moment how he'd refused to come. The temptation of turning tail and running teased Kovu, glancing over his shoulder back the way they'd come. He thought he was at loss for what had brought him that far in the first place, why he'd allowed Vitani to lead him there.

_Loneliness and confusion, that's why..._

He knew without a doubt that snubbing an opportunity to meet the Council would be a mistake. But he was furious with them. It hurt how they'd waited so long to show themselves to him, allowing him to run free on only his basic instincts. He now firmly believed he'd never recovered from the subjected turmoil of his cubhood, even during the period between when he'd fallen for Kiara and right after his cubs had been born. He'd been happy then.

Kovu growled softly, shaking his head. _I should've reached out... I had chances, I know I did... but I felt weak enough as it was._

Kiara had woken him up, somehow fracturing the cycle, but her influence hadn't done enough, obviously.

_Everything is of my making, stop putting the blame on others again._

For certain, whether it had been a relapse or not, he knew he'd strayed severely in the moment when Simba had told him, that night they'd stood next to the watering hole, that the king was-

_Worried!_

Kovu narrowed his eyes in thought. His face began to burn with embarrassment.

_All he said was that he was __**worried**__ about me. That was all it took before I'd jumped to conclusions... but his face... it wasn't like I was oblivious to his capabilities. He silenced me at that excuse of a trial when I'd tried to explain Zira's ambush, and then he'd immediately exiled me. I didn't trust him to say my mother was alive and up to her old tricks. I __**never**__ wanted to be in shaky position again. Simba was a threat to me... somehow worse than Zira... and so... he had to go... unfortunately..._

He thought harder still.

_Why am I so bent on destroying them all? My only family?_

He already knew the answer to that one... pettiness. For too long, he'd let his rotten emotions dictate his actions, and he'd ignored the fact that his family had full rights to hate him. He'd only contributed misery to that pride.

He started to also consider why he was not only hesitating to move forward, but from altogether turning and wordlessly declining the Council's request to meet.

_Probably because I can't stand to have them believe I'm any more of a gutless coward. I could at least give them an explanation for wasting their time._

He sighed. It was impossible to predict the number of faces he'd meet if he went to the light source. Five? Twenty? A hundred? More? He cringed, feeling like a vulnerable, parentless cub.

_These beings know more than what I'd ever be able to wrap my mind around._

And he'd already met Vitani- why wouldn't Simba, Nala, or anybody else appear at the meeting? The last thing he wanted to do was to show up and have them point at him and call him a cowardly, whimpering, pathetic failure. The mere thought ignited his anger once more.

_Well. If I really do turn back... then what?_

He imagined rejection of the Council's offer would mean a death sentence. If he thought he knew isolation was at that moment, he'd certainly know its true meaning if he escaped. His survival would be slim, as much as he would tirelessly try, and he knew he'd just end up back there, hopeless and tortured for all eternity. He couldn't say everything he'd been told was just a myth. He'd be forever scorned by his family, and forever would his name be associated with someone who'd wasted his life.

"Like Scar..." he muttered. "Like Zira. Their hatred destroyed them." He was already a killer, a liar, a trickster, and a pretender to the throne. He _knew_ the only difference now was that he was breathing and they weren't. He shook his head.

_Is it all true? I've got more to gain than to lose? This is my last chance... What's wrong with me?_

* * *

"Kovu, why are you stopping?"

He'd chosen to come, but he was lingering in the shadows, trying hard to maintain a neutral expression, under which terror-tainted bitterness threatened to seep out. Though Vitani sat before them with her back to her brother, four pairs of inquisitive gazes were locked on him. In the center of an angular clearing, in a sort of half-ring, sat four, straight-backed strangers who he could only assume were the Council ancestors- two lionesses and two lions. The larger of the lionesses had pale fur that matched one of the lion's, while the remaining lion had a thick, black mane. It had been one of the lionesses who had spoken. Behind each of them was a tall torch, though Kovu counted one extra. The smoke plumes from the torches drifted above their heads to the starry opening in the ceiling. Their faces were slightly in shadow.

Inhaling sharply, Kovu felt himself step backwards, and in the next instant, Vitani looked back partially over her shoulder. Most of what he saw was a fraction of her profile; it was just enough to bring him back to the night in the Outlands, the night when he'd seen the shadow dancing on the cave wall after he'd begged her to stay by his side. He'd been afraid of the dark, afraid of what Zira had in store for him, and afraid that he would have to give up control to the creep on the wall of that cave. Now they were older and both knew what Zira's plans had been and what Kovu was capable of.

The smaller lioness tilted her head to the side. She had light brown fur and a sweet, round face. The silhouette of her head was slightly scruffy. She sat in the the spot that would've been the middle had the fifth spot been filled.

"I think you're concentrating much too hard," she said. She then glanced away for a moment. "What I mean to say is that maybe listening for a while would be more suitable for you. Come, sit."

By now, Kovu took note that Vitani's attention was elsewhere. In fact, she had walked off to the side and only regarded him with a neutral expression, while he swallowed hard, taking in the small lioness's words, confused. _Vitani isn't going to be any help... She's already done enough._

"Come, sit." He thought the Council lioness regarded him with a slight smile.

Giving a heavy sigh, Kovu looked down at his paws. He cautiously stepped out of the shadows and into the gathering area of the Council. He gave a quick glance around, just enough to confirm that he was only in the presence of his sister and the Council, before he sat down on the cool, stone ground. It was crucial for him to engage eye contact with the Council, but the will just wasn't there.

"Welcome," spoke the same lioness. "We're glad you wish to seek guidance."

He tried to control his expression when he remembered what Vitani had said about him being "interesting". He knew the beings before him commanded respect, but the longer he sat there, the more he questioned his decision to stay rather than leave.

"Do you see anything tied to your legs?"

Kovu looked up to see the black-maned lion frowning at him.

"Do we make you bow before us? Could you look us in the eye if you wanted?" the lion continued. "Have you had to kiss our-?"

There was a sharp hiss, which Kovu guessed had come from the smaller lioness when he saw her shaking her head at the black-maned lion. "What Calbain means," she put in, "is that jumping to conclusions- assuming that we are wrathful, cruel gods- is already setting this meeting up for disaster." The lioness then also glanced sternly at Vitani, who lowered her head slightly. "We will not jump to conclusions if you don't." Her eyes were on Kovu again. "Understand?"

Kovu hesitated, but eventually nodded.

"Good." The lioness's smile returned. "It would help, I'm sure, if you knew what our opinion of you is, and why we find you so interesting... this is the part where you listen."

_Do I have much of a choice?_

The lioness cleared her throat to catch his attention. "At the risk of driving you away," she remarked, "like Calbain said... nobody dragged you here kicking and screaming, right? There are no tethers. You just have no choice in what we can say to you, however." She then shrugged. "Would you rather spend the rest of your life speculating about what that might be? Or would you rather know for sure, so that you can hate us that much more? Well?"

Kovu blinked. What the lioness said made sense, especially when he caught himself wondering why he had come to see a group of lions he _had_ assumed would be cruel and disagreeable. Usually he would've made no second thought about running away. He suddenly was unsure how to treat the Council ancestors, unsure of how to treat such a group of lions who seemed to be both somewhat sympathetic and painfully blatant. And he had yet to say a word.

The lioness seemed to take his silence and his reluctance to move as an answer. She nodded, narrowing her eyes, seemingly in thought. "Kovu... You're a prideful creature. You spook easily because you can't decide who you want to be, and because of that, you err on the side of self-absorbed. Freewill is a gift to everyone... no matter how they use it. You constantly struggle to understand this concept. We'd hoped you'd learn from your mistakes in time and finally stick to the path you've_ truly _wanted to follow."

The lioness's face became grim.

"Then... you fell back on old habits, as well as new ones, when you decided it was better to live with the guilt of your biggest mistake," the lioness continued, "than to admit it to the ones you cared about most and risk losing them. Then the lie became uncontrollable and you took the first opportunity that you had to escape: the moment Kiara decided it was safer for you to leave Pride Rock. You feel like she betrayed you, but you really do know what she wanted for you. What we consider to be the 'old' part of you resurfaced when you aligned yourself with cold-blooded murderers and swore to take revenge on Chaka... but the 'new' part of you came out a little when you came up with the idea to use Natin in order to... stop yourself... from continuing to spiral seemingly out of control. These 'cycles' of embedded, killer motivation, and instinctual, moral alertness are a common thing in your circumstance."

Kovu was confused when the lioness paused and nobody picked up the lecture. He frowned, knowing that the question was being begged. He cleared his throat, and listened to his quiet, stunned voice. "Why... Why say my murderous side is embedded... but that this 'moral' side of me is instinctual?" He started to feel emboldened. "What does that mean?"

The black-maned Calbain answered him. "Because we saw just how hard Zira had to push you in order to turn you into the lion she believed Taka to be. You questioned her relentlessly in order to understand what she was trying to make you do, because otherwise nothing made sense. It took years of beating her goals into you before you no longer needed an explanation and could repeat it back to her word for word. When you were with Kiara, you started asking for explanations again. There were others before you who never asked questions."

At first Kovu didn't notice that he was shaking his head. "Are you arguing to me that I'm innately good?" Kovu paused when he heard how shrill his voice was. Casting his gaze to the side, he was embarrassed when his voice continued to crack. "I'm only good for one sole purpose: killing. I don't know how to do anything else." It crept up on him, but soon the scars on his body felt fresh again. He felt a phantom pain along his spine to the end of his tail stump. He could hear the blood-lusting chants of the lionesses as they urged Chaka to murder him. He tried not to gasp in pain when he lowered his head and suddenly felt very weary.

"That's what you may know now," Calbain said, "but that's not how it started.

Looking up after a moment, he stared back at the small lioness, then looked at the others. Something he noticed then was they all looked young and in their prime. He really had expected to bicker with hunched, grayed figures with haggard, know-it-all voices. These voices were logical, however stern. _Even Calbain isn't that bad... they seem to be actually... listening to me... and hearing what I have to say._

He then decided he wanted to see just how understanding they were going to be. His chest tightened. "If Zira was the problem, you should of taken her out before she ruined me." He paused, a wrinkle forming at his brow. "At one point, she sent me away to hunt other rogues. To practice. That was after she had me killing cubs younger than myself!"

Calbain was still as a rock when he spoke. "That's not our way."

Kovu narrowed his eyes.

"What Calbain means," the small lioness broke in again, "is that we don't use what power we have to kill- we can only nudge." She narrowed her eyes back at him. "There were plenty of times we tried to help you. Mufasa himself had half a mind to mend the wound between Taka and Simba. Mufasa feels responsible for neglecting his younger brother, and insisted we focus our attention on Zira's son. We saw your potential, but we knew what was missing... love. Mufasa wanted to show it to you. When Zira offered you up as a cub to Simba, the day you first met Kiara, he'd hoped his son would take you in, but Simba was blind to the entire gravity of the opportunity he was presented with. Then we had to bide our time, waiting patiently until Zira sent you to the Pride Lands. Rafiki carried out Mufasa's wishes." She paused. "Do you remember how_ close _you were to attacking Simba at the watering hole before Kiara surprised you?"

Kovu lowered his eyes and his voice. "I was going to do it."

"Once you felt accepted by Simba... we never would've _imagined_ the risk you'd take to keep that bond with him... the ways in which you'd struggle to keep your whole family..."

"Do you blame me... for inviting it? I needed proof that she was dead."

The lioness dropped any hint of a smile from her face, and her eyes darkened. "We understand your anger, loneliness, fears, as well as how distrusting you are of everyone around you... Nobody is perfect. But did you think we'd overlook how you received most of your scars after the fact from Chaka?"

_"...You would have died alongside of him instead of hiding this from your family. Could have easily brought her back to Pride Rock if what you tell us had any merit. Only the guilty hide their mistakes and decide to burying the evidence like you did!"_

Shame-filled, Kovu knew he was hiding nothing from the Council. His throat tightened. Chaka had been right to suspect him. He hadn't tried hard enough to save Simba.

The lioness's expression was impassive under the shadows cast on her face. "While they fought, you wanted_ him _to kill her. Your hatred for your mother exceeded your need to help Simba. You thought you'd give him Zira's execution... which would mean revealing your capabilities. That was intolerable."

Sickened, Kovu's jaw trembled. His brows arched. "Yet you argued I am innately good? If I were good, I would've saved him." He turned his attention to Vitani. "I threatened to hurt her and her son when I was too cowardly to pull it off alone. Maybe, I'd hoped she'd stop me... I tried to kill my... my own..." His ears lowered as a thought formed. "You said Mufasa helped me through Rafiki." His lip twitched, his cheeks warming in anger. "Rafiki brought Zazu to Pride Rock and told everyone about the meeting with Zira. If not for that bird and shaman, I would've kept the lie going. And..."

"...And?"

Kovu deflated. He sighed heavily. "Did Mufasa give up on me? Is that what happened?"

"He hasn't given up on you," the lioness said, "but he has come to realize there are others who need his attention more: the prince and princess."

Kovu leaped to his paws. "Are they safe? Can you tell me if they're safe?"

The four lions fidgeted. The light brown lioness appeared most disturbed.

He frowned. "What? What's the matter?"

"Kovu, one of the reasons you were summoned here was to help Asuma," the brown lioness told him firmly. Averting her eyes, she added, "We are taking care of them both, don't worry."

Kovu was unable to ignore the fleeting glance the silent, lighter-furred lioness gave to the empty spot in front of the fifth torch. He felt sick as he gave a bitter scoff and shook his head. "I keep running away from them, trying to hide who I am so they don't get hurt. I did take the easy way out when Kiara sent me away, and I know it was partly because I couldn't give my cubs the truth. I wasn't a good father... I tried to be..."

"Just listen for a moment again, please."

Kovu gave a small nod.

Calbain spoke. "We're testing your son."

_Testing?_

The larger lioness spoke this time. Her voice was light. "Now why would we do that? Have y'forgotten that fear you've got, not for your son, but of your son? When you see him... you see what you dislike most about yourself. Perhaps you see a bit of Nuka in the boy, too."

In Kovu's mind flashed the pile of broken sticks and stumps, and the brother who was obsessed with pleasing a mother that cared little about him. He only had her attention in the moments before he'd died. The scar over Kovu's left eye throbbed. He tried to shut out the memory and the pain.

Now the smaller lioness spoke again. "What did Asuma say to you when Simba passed?"

Kovu cringed. The words that had plagued him for years, but left unspoken, filled the space. His paws filled his vision as he spoke. "He believed he'd... be the one to avenge Simba's death by bringing the killer to justice." It was hard to glance up and meet someone's eye again. "What are you doing to him?"

The lion with the pale fur addressed him. "We must know how much compassion he has left. We need to see him act on his own for once. In a moment of weakness, he himself asked for a chance to prove himself... Kovu... Asuma is dangerous. Perhaps more dangerous than you."

Kovu's ears lowered. His voice was barely audible. "What exactly makes him... dangerous?"

Calbain looked at the others before speaking. "There is no choice but to tell you now about the true situation in the Pride Lands, in order for you to understand."

Kovu felt his brows arch.

"Chaka," Calbain began, "did not turn out Asuma nor Tanga. The worst thing Kiara has done is hide the truth from them and keep her distance. Asuma and Natin were in the cave when Zazu delivered the news to the pride about what you'd done. When Natin came to the pride as a spy, he exposed you to a sullen, brooding Asuma. Both agreed they wanted you... gone. Tanga, to her regret, was not told about you until later when she tracked them out of the Pride Lands. She'd been curious, as you can imagine, but had no idea about what you'd done. The two boys had several different plans... you can guess what the end result generally was...

"What makes him dangerous, you ask?" Calbain continued. "The boy is intelligent, calculating. He's also determined to prove himself, as well as over-analyze every mistake that he makes. What has always stopped Asuma is a lack of confidence in his physical strength. But you already knew all that... Another way he's dangerous, is that Asuma's hatred has also begun to effect your daughter. She's growing bitter because she alone can't help him and feels isolated. When he told you he hadn't had his cubhood nightmares for years, he was partially lying to you because Tswane had been giving him herbs to keep away the dreams. No longer eating them, Asuma remains tortured and his behavior reinforced by these nightmares in a continuous circ-"

Kovu grimaced, exasperated. "You don't even have the power to take those away?"

Calbain scowled. "It's Asuma's subconscious that creates those dreams. It's the manifestation of his _will_. Messing with freewill would mean a lack of balance. Our powers to foretell the future are also weak because the willful decisions of those we watch over take so little in order to change direction."

"Kings aren't sent messages in their dreams?" Kovu retorted stubbornly. "Change them, add to them- do something!" He looked around. "Better yet... Summon him, too."

Calbain's chin tilted downward when he narrowed his eyes. "Understand that you are a special case. I remind you, Kovu, you are the root of Asuma's dilemma. Asuma is not ready to listen to us like you are, as much as you fight what we're telling you. We wanted to speak to you so that you'll be prepared to make amends. In order for him to be a good king, we need to try turning him around. For now, as far as we are concerned, you're his elder and it is time for you to take responsibility for what you've done in the past."

"Kovu, this is also _your_ last chance," the smallest lioness remarked.

The silence in the clearing was thick. Kovu had figured as much, though it was hard to swallow the words. Struggling to stabilize his breathing, a question surfaced in his mind.

"Did... did you ever summon Scar here? Did you try to save _him_?"

The brown-furred lioness smiled crookedly. "What does it matter if we tried to save Taka or not? He does not make your decisions for you. He had his freewill and you have yours."

His eyes widened.

When he spoke, Kovu noticed how Calbain's face had softened. The lion said quietly, "It's time you leave behind Scar's overbearing shadow. You are not him, Kovu. Just like your son is not you."

_"Sometimes what's left behind can grow better than the generation before... if given the chance..."_

All he could do was stare straight ahead, trapped in a daze. It seemed too easy, that they would just tell him that he wasn't Scar, or as they called him, Taka, or that they believed he was truly good; but the way they said it stirred something. He'd never met Scar, he wasn't even his son. Zira had romanticized Scar in order to turn him into her_ tool_.

_But it hadn't come naturally to me... that's why she worked so hard to change me into a killer._..

Kovu lowered his head with a heavy sigh.

_And it ultimately worked..._

"Do not worry about Zira, Sauda, or the others," the brown lioness spoke up. "Though saying some were killers themselves does not excuse their deaths, in order to help Asuma you must put them out of your mind."

Kovu glanced up.

She lowered her ears, adding quietly, "You can answer for their deaths later."

His voice came out hoarse. "I've been pushed so far... what makes you believe I'll be able to turn the situation around? If Tanga is helpless to fix Asuma, what can I do?" Kovu wrinkled his nose, glancing to the side. "How can I talk sense into him if all he wants to do is kill me? To him, I'm a monster, am I right? And what about that test? Whatever you're doing to him... will he fail?"

"It is not necessarily relevant if he fails or not," Calbain spoke up. "But your task will be harder if he does. Don't worry- we wouldn't send you off unprepared."

"Meeka, he's here."

Kovu followed the attention of the brown-furred lioness. She turned to Vitani, and so did Kovu and the others.

He had to suppress a gasp. Standing next to Vitani was Natin.

"Kovu, Natin was _your _tool," the brown-furred Meeka remarked, her tone a bit sharp. "Always has been." She then smiled sweetly. "Now you'll work _together_ without the unspoken context."

Kovu's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He coughed in disbelief. "I thought the stampede killed him!" He had to suppress a laugh in disgust as he blurted, "You can bring back the dead, but you can't take away Asuma's drea-"

"Quiet!" Calbain snapped. "I suggest you listen." He growled. "And wipe that surly look off your face."

Kovu's frown deepened, but he shut his mouth and shifted his weight on his paws.

Meeka's focus returned to Kovu. "Natin is in limbo right now since he's been dead for less than a day, but has willingly agreed to help out. We're restoring his health."

At that moment, Kovu glanced at his nephew, and noticed how his lip twitched when Meeka mentioned the agreement.

_I wouldn't be happy if I were you, either... you escaped all this._

"Natin's already tried to talk sense into Asuma, after Tanga put doubt into _his_ mind. He can tell you all about the side of Asuma that he's kept hidden," Meeka continued. For a moment, she paused. "You'll also need his help to defeat the rogue lionesses. They're following your children to the Pride Lands."

_No point in asking them to make them go away..._ Kovu thought irritably. "So what am I to do? Take Natin, hunt down the lionesses, and talk sense into Asuma?"

Meeka was shaking her head. "All we can say is that it won't be an easy time for you. There are a lot of apologizes to make, and not just to Asuma. I'm afraid the outcome also depends on Asuma's test. You will not be here with us when he passes... or fails. And please remember the debts you already will be answering for, as well as the ones that Natin is not."

_That's right... Natin hasn't killed anyone yet..._

"But the one thing I can say," Meeka added, "is that Asuma essentially has the same wants and needs as you." She tilted her head to the side. "You'll know what you think he should hear."

Kovu lowered his ears. "I'll try."

Calbain frowned, disapproving. "You'll 'try'?"

Kovu gritted his teeth. "Like one of you said- nobody's perfect. I'll do what I can to help Asuma. I'm sure you know that I'll try to help him until my last breath," he said. "I have a real purpose again. A good one this time."

When Calbain started to grin, it caught Kovu off guard. Quickly, he realized the smile wasn't malicious, but amused.

"Kovu."

He glanced up, and saw that it had been Vitani who had called him. When she jerked her head and started to walk back the way they'd come, without Natin, he uncertainly looked to the Council.

"We'll help as much as we can," Meeka told him, smiling. She gestured with a head dip. "Now go. You have work to do."

Feeling dazed, knowing that the meeting was now over, Kovu gave a nod and turned to follow Vitani. She was standing just inside the shadow cover. He was nearly towards her when he paused and looked over his shoulder. The words wouldn't come at first, caught in his throat until he purged them...

"Thank you..."

The four Council ancestors nodded to him before he turned back to Vitani.

He rushed to her side.

"I'm sorry."

Still walking, but at least looking at him, she raised a brow, frowning, as if she hadn't heard him.

"I said I'm sorry, Vitani. I was stupid."

She looked forward again. "You're just saying that because they made you feel guilty and because I'm stuck here."

Kovu's shoulders dropped and he felt himself start to drift behind Vitani again.

"Why'd you thank them, Kovu?"

He thought for a moment. "Because they listened."

"That's it?"

"And I couldn't pretend."

She was silent for a moment. "What they said about Simba and Zira...? That's true then. You only hated Mother enough to kill her after she took Simba away."

He cringed. "Before, I just thought I was too scared to help him... it made sense when they said it."

"What if he had killed her... and lived?"

"Seeing that I'd been useless?" he replied. "I... I don't know..."

"You do know, Kovu; you would've feared exposure again," she said. "I don't think Simba was meant to live past that day."

Kovu blinked hard as his eyes started to mist. He tried to lower his head enough so that his mane would hide his face.

"You better take care of my son. I don't want to see him back here until he's died of old age."

He swallowed, listening to the slight hint of emotion in her voice. "How willing is he to help me?"

"When he died, the Council immediately came to me, asking me to persuade him to go back. He wants to make sure that no further harm comes to Tanga." She paused. "Try to keep him from killing you, and actually succeeding this time?"

Kovu nodded, his heart skipping a beat.

They'd made it to the entrance of the temple, and were standing at the top of the steps, staring out over the path, statues, grass, and endless water.

_This might be one of the last peaceful moments I get..._

"Vitani, I really am sorry."

She shook her head. "Maybe if something good comes out of this... I'll find a way to forgive you."

"It will," he told her as firmly as he could, "and you'll forgive me."

The corner of her mouth quirked up a little. "Maybe."

She turned away and left the steps and the path. Looking over her shoulder while standing in the green grass, she told him to head back towards the water.

Kovu lingered for a moment, watching her go, comfortable in the serenity of the atmosphere. He looked up to the sky, and wasn't sure, but he thought it was growing pale, as if the sun were rising. He wanted to stay to see, but he didn't know how it worked there, him still being alive.

What the Council had told him would take time to completely sink in.

_But for now... I can start making amends..._

He sighed, thinking of Vitani.

_We'll see how this goes..._

88888888

**This chapter was a difficult one to write, so I hope you guys enjoyed yourselves! It's also named after one of my favorite stories on here, **_**Divine Intervention, **_**by Liena. The story is near the bottom of my favorite story section if you want to check it out. I'll do my best to get an update to you at least by my usual time, and certainly by mid-September when I go back to classes.**

**(Also, Vitani was describing Roman architecture, which back in the day, was painted very brightly.)**


	35. Reality Checks In

A raspy cough emanated from within the murky shadows of the large, gaping hole.

"Huh..." The stranger's voice was gravelly. "I didn't see this dumb hole in the dark. Lucky nuthin's broken, but my pride on the other hand..." He gave a barely-recognizable attempt at a chuckle.

Asuma was stunned by what he'd found. He straightened his back and arched his sore neck to get a better look at the stranger well-below him. The tips of his toes were a mere whisker's length away from the hole's rim. He opened his mouth to speak; but nothing came out, nor did any words come to mind.

"So, I could use a little help," the filthy-furred stranger continued. He shook his red-brown mane. "I cannot get out myself. Tried that. I keep hearing things out there- other creatures- so I've been yelling myself hoarse," he went on in a rambling, half-slurred voice. "Guess they umm... ah... a-didn't want to help out a guy. Or else they were prey animals. I dunno. But I guess none of that matters now, but for all I know, I conjured up you, too!" There was another rough chuckle.

A thought briefly flitted through Asuma's own mind, that perhaps _he'd _conjured up theoldlion. He ached all over and his stomach groaned in protest as the adrenaline running through his system began to fade. Despite the clear distress of the old lion, he was irritated more than anything- he was sitting there mostly because he'd been looking for Kovu again, and now had run into this dilemma. A familiar, dull pain throbbed in his temples, one that had subsided slightly since the opportunity of destroying Kovu had become a possibility, after living for years believing that he'd been slain by someone else. Finding Kovu down in the hole would've been a blessed _miracle_. A long-shot, but it would've solved everything, and he could've gone home knowing he'd accomplished what he'd set out to do.

This lion clearly was not the murderer that he was hunting, and as his blue eyes took in the long scratch marks on the walls of the hole, Asuma told himself that saving the stranger would be dangerous. What the lion had accomplished on his own, with little running space at the bottom for aid, was quite impressive, but the rim of the hole was still only just out of reach. Helping the stranger would mean risking falling in and injuring himself, if he could even come up with a plan to save him...

For a split second, again he wondered if he were instead still dreaming. What were the chances, after all that had happened to him, that he would find a stranger in distress, at the bottom of a hole, who Tanga hadn't heard first? Unless, he thought, Tanga really had left...

He knew without a doubt, that Tanga would be tripping over her paws to help the stranger- Asuma caught himself when he thought he was about give an unexpected, bitter chuckle at that image. It brought on feelings of both irritation and envy. It was also ridiculous how he was just sitting there staring angrily at the bottom of the hole, envisioning how any and all rescue attempts could turn south for_ him_. He wondered briefly what it might feel like to actually succeed at pulling the lion from his would-be grave, but nothing stirred within him, aside from frustration at the emptiness he felt.

Maybe he was more selfish than he cared to admit, more wrapped up in his own problems.

Then, any tiny bit of distasteful humor drained from him when his thoughts drifted back to one, miserable desire that he'd had earlier...

_I want to do something that I don't screw up... something I can be proud of..._

Asuma suddenly felt short of breath. A tingle ran down his spine, and the muscles in his back were crawling with guilt and dread.

_Maybe I'm not so alone in all of-_

He shook his head to clear away the idea.

_No… it's just me and this stranger._

"-you bother coming if you're just going to sit there and stare, eh? Am I so very entertaining or something..? Though, you are just kinda staring into space, shaking your head for some dumb reason. It's not like I'm a pretty lioness or a cub, but... I like those stars over your head, but my view _could_ be better. I'll ask you now: are you saving me, or not? I'm really thinking not."

The sudden accusation caught Asuma off guard, shattering his creeping, probably impossible, yet horrific, idea. He had to stop himself from shifting his weight uncomfortably as he tried to recover and answer. "No... Who said I _wasn't_ going to help you?"

The stranger scoffed. "He talks! Well, you haven't exactly jumped for joy trying to be useful. And your face might be in shadow, but from that snarky tone of yours, I'd bet you were thinking about how pathetic I am."

Asuma scowled, shaking his head. "I was not."

The older lion growled. "I've raised enough smart-mouthed cubs to know when one of them has something to hide."

Asuma growled back. His ears pressed into his mane. He tried to keep his voice level as he said, "I wasn't lying, if that's what you think. And I'm not a-"

"Hey! I didn't defend my pride for seasons from selfish punks like you just to die in a _hole," _the stranger wheezed sharply. "You're ah... ummm... a-torturing me here, giving me too much hope. Maybe you should just get lost so that I can die in peace! Go find some lionesses to bother, or ah... ah... some cubs to kill."

Asuma's jaw tensed. "Do you think you know me?" he spat. "You're pretty quick with the profiling for someone who needs to be saved. It's just by cruel fate that you fell down there. It's not like I pushed you in or anything, right? I've never met you in my life."

The stranger's long-winded chuckle made Asuma's skin crawl.

"You're very defensive," the stranger said.

Frowning, Asuma mused, "What...?" He tried to shake it off. "Of course I am. Like I said, you don't know anything about me."

"Well, I suppose you haven't said no to helping me, but you're standing there doing nuthin'," the stranger replied matter-of-factly. "Maybe not nuthin'- you keep arguing with me, and sayin' how I've got you all wrong. Like a dumb punk... I'd bet you're probably some punk I've had to chase off my land before... I'd say that you've killed lots of guys like me before... but..."

There was no need for the old stranger to continue. Asuma lashed his tail wildly, and he had to stop himself from digging too hard with his claws at the dirt beneath him. He remembered how he'd once been in the old lion's position- alone and dependent on someone else for his survival. In his case, it had been Chaka who had saved him- back before Chaka had lost it. Asuma was sure those painful memories were what influenced his cool voice when he growled warningly, "Stop making these assumptions about me. You don't know me."

"Are all your first impressions this terrible, kid?" retorted the stranger, still not taking the hint.

"Do you call everyone you meet a cub killer?"

"Well, I'm sure you're plain rude to everyone. I, of course, don't call everyone I meet a cub killer. But guys like you don't have manners anymore like they used to. No respect, nope!"

The stranger's crotchedy attitude rubbed him the wrong way- reminding him of Isabis's incessant chattering, Natin's pointless death, his mother's ignorance, and Chaka's anger-all rolled up into one creature. He couldn't think rationally. He pushed himself to his paws so fast that he disturbed the dirt beneath him, causing some of it to rain down into the hole.

"Hey! Why you..." The old lion shook the falling dirt from his face.

Asuma glared down into the dismal hole, and stood there for a moment, reluctant to do what he really wanted to do...

"Had enough of me already?" the stranger rasped. "Heh... I bet you don't have an ummm... ah... a-drop of compassion in your bones!"

Asuma rolled and then closed his eyes. The stranger was sucking the energy from him. He needed to find Tanga if he could, get to the Pride Lands, and somehow find Kovu.

_As far as I'm concerned, I'd probably be doing someone a favor by leaving him down there. Maybe if he keeps trying, he'll get out himself. Maybe if he keeps yelling, someone else who's much nicer than me will save him..._

His shoulders tensed up and the scars on his foreleg itched as his thoughts once again turned back to the night when Chaka had saved him... after Kovu had left him behind. His own reaction to Chaka's wild presence had been anything but delighted, and he started to wonder if there had been something in this stranger's past that had made him so callous.

_Do I really care to know?_

He waited to see if this thought bothered him... but it didn't.

_Am I too emotionally fatigued? Or am I just beyond the point of caring... to a point that even __**if**__ this jerk were a little cub, I would feel just the same? I've been here, done that… I already know what it takes to make someone like this stranger… all I need is to look into a calm puddle._

_ I do keep saying that I don't care if I become a monster..._

He closed his eyes and felt his body sag…

_ Hmmm… Tanga was right about one thing... There is something deeply wrong with me._

He _thought_ he'd at least have the decency to save a small cub in distress, but there was no cub in distress, far from it... He had the option of saving or walking away from a loud-mouthed stranger who probably only had a few seasons left on him by the look of it. The thought also crossed his mind that if he did save the lion, he'd decide to take his frustration out on him.

_He might be decrepit, but the last thing I need is to have someone who hates me by my presence alone chasing me around in the dark. There's a chance that he might not, but I'm much safer if he's trapped down there, right?_

"You're an idiot," hissed the stranger, snapping Asuma from his thoughts. "I'd just been, umm... ah... ah-making my peace when you showed your punk face, now I gotta start up all over again!"

Asuma frowned questioningly as he briefly studied the face of the sharp-tongued stranger. He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw hope draining from his dirty features…

"_Maybe_ it'll rain and I can swim out or drown," the stranger muttered. "_Maybe_ this is a man-trap... and they'll come spear me."

While the stranger continued to babble on…

Asuma backed away from the hole.

He had made it roughly five lengths of his body away before the stranger noticed.

Asuma thought he heard claws scraping on earth.

"Someone did a _fiiine_ job of raising you! Fan-tastic!" he shouted hoarsely. "For yer sake, I hope the end comes quick for me! I hope...!"

Asuma heaved a sigh, continuing to walk toward the river. Soon, he was pushing himself into a run. He tried to shut out the stranger's grating voice, to get away. He was back into the wooded area when the shouting died off for whatever reason. He paused and looked over his shoulder, as if expecting the lion to climb out of the hole and barrel into him.

_He's going to starve down there... _Asuma thought. Perhaps his brittle sense of compassion was finally catching up with him. _No... No, he'll die of thirst long before then. He won't know what happened to him by the time his body gives out... It won't be pleasant... He's stuck down in that hole, plain and simple. I left him to rot._

Asuma was about to shiver involuntarily, when suddenly, a bird startled nearby and nearly struck his head in its panic. Ducking with the hairs raised all along his spine, Asuma followed the bird with his eyes into the night sky overhead. Seeing the stars twinkling back at him, he felt low. A queer idea popped into his mind that his paws might sink into the ground, and continue to do so until the earth had completely devoured him.

And at that moment, he allowed the thought he'd started to think before mature and form fully... somehow, he didn't know why exactly, but he had a strong feeling...

"I'm sorry..." he whispered to the stars, to whoever might be listening. "I know you wouldn't have wanted me to do that, but... I can't have any interference with my plans..."

He sharply turned his gaze away, and started to head back towards Tanga's trail. Maybe she hadn't really run off, and maybe seeing her would make him feel better, though after their fight, he doubted it.

"Saving him would slow me down... I already fail miserably at caring for Tanga," he continued. He glared at the ground as his voice came out, so completely devoid of emotion that it scared him, "You should know by now that I intend to see to it that Kovu is killed... nobody but me seems to want it; hence, why they let him run free… Maybe I've been looking at this all wrong... maybe being compared to Kovu isn't such a bad thing-knowing how your enemy's mind works is how you get the upper hand, after all. I can do that." 

* * *

Kovu was sprawled out at the bottom of a freshly-dug hole, still unconscious. Natin guessed his uncle had been about to push him into the grave right before the Council's intervention. He found it halfway amusing that Kovu had returned to bury him, while Asuma and Tanga had fled the scene.

When Natin had woken up, he'd first gone to the river for a drink, and had cringed at the smell of so much blood, and the drag marks that led up to the top of the river bank. His fur was caked in crusted mud, but he hadn't bothered to clean up just yet. He'd been too busy staring in disbelief at his disheveled, mortal reflection. The nearly-unbearable, lingering sensation of death was tedious to fade. It felt like he'd woken up to find that he'd slept on a nest of scorpions, after he'd eaten a dozen jagged rocks. Natin noticed he couldn't hear clearly, and that even the light of the moon hurt his eyes. There was a dull ache at the back of his skull, and he had little recollection of the events leading up to his death. The last thing he remembered was Sauda's death followed by a mad dash to the river. Now, he was clearly alone with Kovu.

Natin was eyeing the pile of removed dirt, thoughtful, when Kovu finally stirred with a groan. He couldn't help but grin when Kovu looked up and saw him, the older lion's eyes widening. Natin's form cast a faint shadow over Kovu.

"So it wasn't just a... a..."

Natin's voice was cool, clearing his throat at first. "Nope, no dream... Believe me..."

Kovu continued to stare. "I'm hallucinating..."

Natin made an irritated sound. _I may have been sent back to be your keeper, but I can't be the keeper of the insane..._ He then chuckled and grinned so that his teeth showed a little. "Geez," he remarked. "If I didn't wanna get buried, I'd probably get out of that grave... Now."

To make his point, he flipped a pawful of dirt onto Kovu's belly, making him flinch wildly in shock. When Kovu still didn't get up, he shoved a larger clump into the hole.

"Time's a-wast-"

"Enough!" Kovu snapped. He struggled to roll onto his paws and climb up and out of the hole.

Natin scowled, lowering his head and standing up. He took a step back, muttering, "I really hope that at least you can appreciate the Council's generosity..."

Kovu closed his eyes and sneezed. Dust billowed off his pelt like steam. He glanced guiltily at Natin, but said nothing.

Uneasiness fell over Natin. "What?" he snapped. "What is it now? You better not have just been going through the motions up there-"

"Natin!" Kovu was shaking his head, avoiding looking at him. "Stop talking for a moment." He paused before asking quietly, "Clean your face, would you? I can't think with you like that."

Natin narrowed his eyes, somewhat pleased that his appearance was disturbing to his uncle. He knew he could stand there and refuse to wash off the grime, but the benefit of harassing Kovu was perhaps too small. Causing trouble would make it harder on the Council's precious, fallen angel. He needed Kovu to cooperate.

"Fine. Don't run off. Stay here."

Kovu looked up, acknowledging him with a nod.

The water was chilly. Easing in up to his elbows, Natin looked around and listened. His heavy breathing, and the trickling sound of the flowing river filled his ears. There was no breeze. Ducking his face under the water, he quickly rubbed his cheeks and nose with his paw, fighting a sudden surge of panic, before leaping out of the water and restlessly shaking his mane. He could feel the mud dripping down his jaw unpleasantly as he stood there panting and trying to calm himself. His body had tensed up, and he let out a soft growl, glaring at the river through his soaked mane.

_You almost drowned, remember?_

"Natin."

The young lion's eyes flashed up to the side to the bank behind him. Kovu was sitting at the edge, staring listlessly down at him.

Natin remarked icily, "Is my appearance acceptable now?"

With hesitation, Kovu nodded.

Natin's jaw clenched. "The lionesses are chasing after Asuma and Tanga, aren't they? That's what the Council said."

Another nod. "I think Fola has been elected their leader."

Natin wasn't surprised. He hated Fola more than he'd hated Sauda.

_Figures. As if there isn't enough to deal with..._

"I think we should try driving them away from Asuma and Tanga. It's me they really want. We'll get them to chase us and-"

"Then what?" Natin climbed halfway up the bank and stood in front of Kovu. "They catch either of us and we're dead. How would that help anyone?"

Kovu's shoulders slumped. "If... we out run them-"

"No. That's wrong. They will _not_ stop until _you_ are dead, they will not stop until _I'm_ finally dead, they will not stop until your _children_ are dead for the hell of it, and they won't stop until they get these Pride Lands they've heard such tremendous things about. That's what you gotta understand..."

Natin cut himself off, looking away. He wanted to vomit. He finished climbing the bank, walked a few lengths, and sat down with his back to Kovu, tucking his tail around his cold paws.

_I can't believe I let Mother talk me into this. We're only gonna run around in circles again, putting off the inevitable. This was over the day I told Asuma that Kovu was alive... and I was too stupid to accept that._

Kovu didn't approach him at first. "They're greedy," he said musingly. "Hungry. Every one of them."

Natin's lip curled. He lifted his chin a little. "Isn't that what I said?"

"Mostly. So what would they do after they got all of that? Would they finally be happy?"

Natin shrugged, shivering. "I don't think there's a cure for greed. Isn't that kinda the point of greed, or whatever you could call it? If they got all that, they still wouldn't know when to quit."

"And the Council made it clear that murder is wrong."

His uncle's words put a crease into the bridge of Natin's nose. He shrugged indifferently. "Kind of puts a hitch into things, and I just feel a little bit more useless now."

Hearing Kovu's pawsteps come up behind him, Natin deliberately turned his face away. He forced himself to stay there when Kovu sat down beside him.

"Who is Asuma really?"

Face still turned away, Natin corrected him. "You mean _what_ is Asuma really..." He swallowed hard. "He basically told me he'd _gladly_ become a monster if that meant he could finally kill you, Kovu. He certainly hasn't got my skills, but what I don't-"

Natin blinked as a thought came to him. Then he continued...

"What I_ didn't_... understand about him, was that he refused to let me train him... It was almost as if he was in love with the idea that he's too weak to fight." Natin paused. "The best that I can explain it is that he specifically wanted me to take the fall all because Tanga and I taunted him into going on that hunt... which got him lost, and led him to being tormented by you, the murderer of his innocent, beloved grandfather. I kinda wonder now if... Our original plan was to ambush you during the hunt that night we abandoned the lionesses, before Asuma said something to you that made you change your mind-whatever the hell that was… Now, if I had refused to kill you at any point-if I'd said no, telling him I'd protect you instead... What if he'd come to you, saying that I planned to kill you? So that I could finally avenge my mother? To make you strike first?"

With Kovu's hesitation, Natin pushed through the pain and at least turned his head so that he could see Kovu out of the corner of his eye.

Kovu said quietly, his voice so certain, "I wouldn't have..."

"Yes, he would've had you right where he'd wanted you." Natin said quietly. The muscles in his throat were tight. With the dullness of his voice, he could've been talking about something as plain as the weather. "You may not wanna now... maybe... but I... I didn't get you in your sleep like you wanted. I didn't stay in the Pride Lands like you wanted. I didn't keep my huge mouth_ shut _and leave your kids at home like you wanted. What would be better than to prove to your son, that if you could take _me_ out, then you'd have a shot at defeating Chaka."

"... Asuma never would've done that..."

Natin scoffed. "Well, why not? The Chaka thing was a lie after all! Optimally, his worthless, stupid cousin would die, and you'd be crippled from your wounds and he'd think to himself that he'd sooner die than not finish you off himself. Even _better_, Kovu, if _Tanga_ jumped in to break us apart!"

Kovu let out a throaty growl.

Natin smirked. He looked down at his paws. "Understand now why they said he's more dangerous than you?"

"No. You're only feeding me this paranoid fantasy of yours."

"Believe what you want, Kovu, but I guess I am only speculating. I can't read thoughts like the Council can." He shook his head. "The Council... they want him to be king...? What a joke. Why ever..."

Kovu huffed.

Natin made a face. "You can't make excuses for him, and you can't let him kill you. I don't care how much of a death wish you've got. If he gets you, you doom him."

"Your mother's worried about you for the _same_ reason. Of course _you'd_ see Asuma doing all that."

Water was still trickling from his mane, down his chest and legs. He knew all the mud hadn't come clean from his lower jaw or the knotted clumps in his debris-filled mane. Shaking his head to clear his mane out of his eyes, he said slowly, "I'm _nothing_ like Asuma. Not anymore. At least."

"Then... tell me what I should do."

Natin lifted his ears. Had he imagined the_ tremble _in Kovu's voice, a twang of fear and remorse? Did he just_ hear _a miserable snort? Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Natin listened as Kovu gave another sniff. There were tears welled-up in the corners of his uncle's green eyes, his mouth pressed into a hard line.

Finally he looked Kovu full in the face. He said, his tone scathing, yet uneasy, "Why is it me who's gotta fix everybody?"

Kovu blinked hard. "You... Because you understand them. Me. Yourself." His voice caught in his throat when he said, "Natin, you didn't give in to your frustration like I did."

Natin narrowed his eyes. He'd _never_ seen Kovu so broken down. He'd been very close before... but the foul mask of lunacy and ruin had never so entirely cracked as it had now. It was as if Kovu were laying in front of him, soft belly exposed with his deadly claws and fangs removed. It was spooky, and soon Natin realized that he was _hoping_ what he was seeing was yet another cheap trick designed to callously wrench out the last trace of sympathy from his heart. Kovu had never really been flesh and blood to him; rather, a myth, or a hungry bird waiting for some cowering hare and its family to emerge from their warren-safe, as long as they stayed out of sight.

"I don't know if I've treated you worse than Asuma," Kovu continued, his voice sluggish. "Probably... You have no idea how happy I was to become an uncle..." He trailed off, his gaze getting distant. "When you were born, we were all happy. We knew we had a strong cub, the beginning of the next generation, and we all anticipated Kiara's delivery of the next heirs to Pride Rock. I knew the best part was that you were born in the Pride Lands where you were never supposed to feel unsafe, or hungry, or alone, or sad."

Stunned, Natin's face softened. Despite this, he snapped flatly, "I got none of that."

The rogue's ears lowered. His voice was barely audible. "Natin... I'm sorry."

Natin lowered his ears, unsure if cursing Kovu out of disgust was the proper reaction. The words seemed wrong coming from the rogue's mouth. He sighed heavy through his nose and turned his face away again. The sky caught his attention, and he noted that sunrise was quickly encroaching upon the shelter that the night provided.

Kovu sniffed. "Natin?"

The younger lion felt the weary looseness of his bones, the dull ache in his chest. "_Lewa_ said something to me, the night before you changed the plan and I bickered with Asuma."

"Huh?" Kovu croaked.

Natin sighed again, tilting his head to the side. "Begging me to not kill you, she told me that it was too high a price to pay for basically being stupid and selfish. Her answer to everything was that I should talk to you-forgive you."

"I don't expect forgiveness," Kovu said soberly, catching Natin's attention. "Vitani said she probably won't forgive me. I know her too well, and her mind's already made up."

Staring at Kovu, Natin again was caught off guard by his uncle's candidness. Kovu's words triggered him to remember how his mother had tried to help her brother hide the murders. Natin realized it was beside the point that Kovu had threatened to hurt him, because Vitani had made the mistake of letting him hide behind lie after lie. Natin guessed his mother was punishing them both for not doing what would've been the right thing to do. He knew his mother would be restless until she forgave herself because things would've been so different if she'd made the choice to give Kovu up to the rest of the pride.

"Can I ask you again...? Natin... tell me what to do?" Kovu moved a little closer. "Please?"

The raw desperation in Kovu's eyes unnerved Natin, especially after the remark about his mother's reluctance to forgive. The look was similar to the one he recalled Kovu having after he'd butchered Sauda.

_He's gonna run himself into the ground to get that forgiveness from Asuma and Mother. He craves it, and when he craves something this badly, he acts like an idiot. He'll find a way to make this __**worse.**_

Natin frowned, dubious.

"Please, I need direction." Kovu's eyes shined in the increasing sunlight. "Nat-?"

"You'll listen to me?" The words escaped Natin's mouth before he realized he'd even thought them. He hesitated, looking to the side.

_I'm really gonna do this?_

"Natin, please-"

"You'll... I'll hear no arguments from you." He glared sternly at Kovu, full in the face. A chill ran down his spine, but he ignored it. "I doubt you won't question me, but you'll do what I tell you, when I tell you."

Kovu's head bobbed up and down furiously. "Yes, I'll listen, Natin."

The younger lion stood up, feeling his legs shudder from the strain. He shoved his nose into Kovu's. "And if you ignore me and do something _stupid_... I'll leave."

Kovu's eyes widened.

Natin felt a growl in his throat as his resolve strengthened, taking a step back. "My sanity's not gonna handle much more of you. Do you understand? I don't especially care what the Council wants me to do, and I can only do so much to keep you from being_ you_. So you'll listen to _me._ Do you doubt a word I'm saying?"

Kovu's mouth had fallen open. He closed it. Then he shook his head.

Natin cringed inwardly, waiting for Kovu's anger to arise. His uncle would certainly be indignant about being told that he was to be as subordinate as a cub...

_But it isn't gonna rise... is it? Where'd the anger go?_

There was a crease between Kovu's worried green eyes. The dark-maned lion suddenly looked up at the sky, noticing, too, that sunrise was upon them. He murmured, "They'll be on the move."

Natin raised a brow. "What?"

Kovu didn't look at him. A spark of fear entered his eyes. "Fola. The other lionesses-for sure they'll be on the move. They're hunting Asuma and Tanga."

Natin pursed his mouth. He came up with two options: try and beat the lionesses to Asuma and Tanga and whoever was "helping" or "testing" them, or go find help in the Pride Lands first and warn them. It was already clear to him what Kovu's decision would be, and Natin felt that was warning enough to not go down that path.

He cleared his throat to get Kovu's attention. Once his uncle was focused on him again, he said, "You've gotta trust they're actually taking care of your kids."

_He's already frowning..._

"The pride needs to be told about all of this, everything," Natin went on, steeling himself. "The lionesses are savages, and the least we could do would be to have you make amends at home and _warn _them all. Maybe they'll have a better plan than me." He hesitated. "Kiara might know how to handle the lionesses... and your son." He doubted she could solve the problem with the latter.

_And let's hope I can still help Tanga in time..._

That wiped the frown off Kovu's face. A look of exhaustion replaced it. "I think I'd rather face Asuma than Kiara."

Natin sensed it wasn't so much an argument, but an exclamation of distress. "Look, if we talk to her before Chaka gets to us, there's a slim chance that she'll be kinder to you than the rest of us have been..."

_Especially after I led her cubs away with the intentions that I had... not to mention the grip that Chaka had on her and her denial of Asuma's problems..._

"You're not leading me there to have Chaka kill me, are you?"

Natin glared at Kovu. "No."

Kovu scowled back, unconvinced.

Natin was shaking his head. "No," he repeated.

"Not even a tiny bit?"

The presence of the stiff dirt on his body felt painfully obvious at that moment. He did his best to steady his breathing, continuing to match Kovu's glare. He said frankly, lowering his head, "Regardless of what I feel, I'm gonna do my best to prevent Chaka from going berserk on your ass. I don't see why you're asking such things, because it's a waste of time-we both know you don't care about yourself, and we both know that I hate you."

Natin cut himself off, as if he'd remembered something. In one smooth movement, he then turned on his paws and quickly looked around to get his bearings.

_No time to argue... that's a waste, too._

"What are you doing?"

_The Pride Lands are that way..._ Satisfied, Natin looked over his shoulder, one paw raised. "We're going to Pride Rock." He felt his muzzle twist into a slight smirk. "Like I said. You were listening, right?"

Kovu glared back at him, but at least he'd stood up.

"C'mon," Natin continued, "you do as I say, and I help you. That's all you want from me. That's why I'm alive. If we run, but pace ourselves, we can get to the border by tomorrow morning. Can you do that?"

Kovu glanced down and to the side. "Yes," he relented, then added, "Can you?"

Natin nodded, hoping for all that his life was worth that he wasn't making the wrong choice.

"Good. Pride Rock it is." 

* * *

The fur of the lean hare in Tanga's jaws tasted coppery and gritty. She'd already eaten a couple mice and the first hare she'd caught, having needed the strength to hunt, and was bringing food to Asuma. Her appetite had diminished, but she knew a gazelle or a wild pig would've better filled her up. The area, unfortunately, was more heavily populated by zebra and buffalo; hunting prey that large would've been tiring and dangerous, on top of the fact that she'd never be able to keep scavengers from taking it while she abandoned the meal to fetch Asuma to share it. Attracting those scavengers would have also been a terrible idea.

Her nerves had only cooled slightly after having scolded, and bickered with her brother. It had been close since she'd run away from the Pride Lands, but she'd never quite heard him speak to her like he had.

_I've never heard __**myself**__ speak like that, either... Maybe I was too hard on him... He knew I was preparing to attack him..._

He just didn't understand, and she'd been unable to form the words exactly how she'd wanted to say them, so they'd just bubbled out. When he'd told her to stop bombarding him with her "so-called" morals, and to leave him alone, she knew she'd still done too little. The problem was, she hadn't known at the time, and still didn't know, what more she could've done. Now, she felt sorry for yelling at him. Asuma's problems were too big for her, especially when he refused to open up.

_He's never been good at that... always hiding things... but I thought that maybe... maybe he finally would, and I'd be able to guide him or something, or at least sit, nod, and listen to him. Now I have to settle with just feeding him skinny hares..._

Sighing through her nose, she came out of the wooded area and started to walk tiredly toward the river. The sun was starting to rise. She saw Asuma, who was sitting with his back to her and his front facing the river. His posture was stiff, and he didn't seem to notice when she dropped the hare down near his paws. Craning her neck, she looked into his face, and knew that he was someplace else.

Her voice was cautious. "Asuma? I brought you something to eat..."

He blinked and turned his head toward her. A look of sadness, she thought, flitted over his face before it became unreadable again.

"Oh... thanks..." he muttered gruffly, pawing the limp hare and stiffly lying down on his belly.

She sat there patiently as he ate, only leaving briefly to take a drink from the river and to gather her nerves. She had hardly slept much. She'd been too wound up for that, and she had been starving. When she returned and sat down again, Asuma was cleaning a few of the bones with his teeth. There was a neat pile of the remnants of the hare next to his paws.

She cleared her throat to gain his attention. When his ears went down and he glanced at her while he continued to eat, she sighed heavily and began.

"Asuma? Do you hate me for yelling at you?"

It looked like he flinched, and he stopped eating, pushing the rest of his meal away so that it was all in one pile. "No..." he started slowly. His head tilted to the side slightly. "Is this an apology?"

She thought for a moment before answering. "I'm apologizing for making you feel horrible... but I won't apologize for what I said, because I meant what I said."

He didn't answer her, but started to groom his face with slow, almost guilty, strokes of his paw.

She was too tired even to frown. "You're about as openly emotional as a rock."

Asuma paused, resting his paws so that they were lying side by side. He looked up at her, still with his unreadable expression. "Tanga, I think you'd hate me more if I did let you in, and like I said before, I don't want to burden you." Again, very briefly, the sadness crept into his blue eyes, then vanished. "But I accept your apology. I know you were angry with me, and it is my entire fault that you're not safe at Pride Rock."

Tanga's brows arched in concern. "I don't hate you..."

As he stood up, his gaze averted again, it looked like he were going to say something, but instead kept quiet. The muscles in his jaw twitched, and his mouth was set into a hard, stubborn line.

She stood up, too. "Asuma..? Would you also accept my apology... if… I said I was sorry about the hunt? You know... the bad one... when we were younger? I can't remember back then if I told you to your face that I was sorry... I just want you to know that I am. I shoulda said it sooner." She looked down at the ground. "A long time ago, actually."

Asuma's eyes widened slightly, his breathing calm. His ears lowered, and his brows arched a bit.

"And… Natin was sorry, too," she added awkwardly. "We talked about it. He really was sorry that he teased you."

Her brother issued a hoarse growl. Anger dulled the blue of his eyes, and a small crease bunched of the flesh over his nose. He said through slightly clenched jaws, "I think I always hated Natin..."

She tried not to flinch at his barbed remark.

"He was a better son to Kovu than I am," Asuma went on. "Kovu got a taste for what he thought his cubs should be like before we were born. I didn't exactly live up to the standard that Natin set for the both of us."

Tanga lowered her ears, knowing there was nothing she could say to change her brother's mind. She'd always suspected his jealously. She also feared any bit of truth to his words.

"We should start walking again." Asuma's voice sounded briskly abrupt.

When Tanga refocused, she noticed that Asuma was turned to look over his shoulder at the wooded area, his ears perked, as if he were waiting for something or someone to appear.

"I promise we won't walk until we drop this time," he added, starting to follow the river again.

She shrugged and wrenched up the corners of her mouth into a pitiful excuse for a smile. She followed him, walking behind. She hoped that his paws weren't still bothering him, as she tried to ignore the stiffness in her own shoulders.

There was a large gap of silence before Asuma spoke up again. "I was kind of worried..." he began, "I was kinda worried that you'd run off without me. I thought you were hunting, but I wasn't so sure."

"...Oh?" She waited anxiously for him to ask if she had considered it... because she had, multiple times. "I'm sorry I made you worry," she replied.

"Yeah... I... I woke up and couldn't see you, but then I found your trail and it seemed like you were hunting. I thought I'd wait by the river first to see if you would come back, in case I tried to find you and got lost instead. I also needed some time to think about the things you said. Especially the being _obsessed_ part." He spat out the word 'obsessed' like it was a piece of bad meat.

Tanga thought she'd venture to ask. "Well… what did you think about what I said?"

He slowed down, letting her catch up to him. Yet again, the sadness was there, but this time it lingered, as he looked at her. "I'm not sure yet..."

"Oh, Asuma..." she whispered. She stopped herself from touching him-perhaps nuzzling her cheek into his mane or lifting a dusty paw to his shoulder. If his reaction to her dumping water on his face after he'd passed out was any indication to any response she might get out of him at that moment, any kind of contact, she thought, would only aggravate him. Helplessness filled her, and she caught herself feeling disgusted towards their mother and Chaka for only covering up Asuma's physical symptoms, and not trying to coax out the ones he'd buried deep inside him.

After a while, Asuma let her lead again like the day before, and at a slower pace. She told herself that just before the sun reached the middle of the sky they would rest and maybe find something more to eat, though she feared that any food would disagree with her stomach.

"I know that killing him won't bring Simba back, or erase my past," Asuma remarked suddenly, startling her, "but..."

Tanga wondered if he possessed the words to continue. The unfinished statement lingered in the tense, weary air between them like a tick that had buried its head deep into the flesh of its host.

All they could do was to keep walking, hopefully toward the Pride Lands. 

* * *

_**Hey, I can't say when the next update will be- classes start on the 19th, and I will be busy packing next week. :)**_


	36. Conspiracy to their Own

_**(A/N: Throws update and runs—blame my classes and teachers. I had a lot of essays and group projects last quarter.)**_

"Wow, a wildebeest and a zebra, Kiara. And so fast!"

Breathless, Kiara turned to a beaming huntress. They heard the hoots and hollers of the escaping herd that had left behind two poor creatures as a necessary sacrifice. The air stunk of fear and sweat. The job had been easy enough with five able-bodied lionesses. Hunts were always successful when nobody strained a muscle or was kicked.

Kiara laughed. "Tojo's arrival today must've given us an edge."

A bit of the gaiety faded from the huntress's eyes. She glanced away. "You're sure he's coming, right?"

Kiara nodded confidently. "Yes, Tojo will keep his word. Believe me." Seeing the doubt strengthen in the lioness's eyes, Kiara looked away to hide her displeasure and frustration. She opened her mouth, but instead realized there was nothing to be said. If _Tojo_ went against his own word, it would be _her_ fault in the eyes of her pride. A long-winded explanation at that moment would not help her then.

_How will I cope if he does not deliver? What if this challenge is too much, what then?_

The lioness cleared her throat softly. "Kiara, I didn't mean-" She hesitated, however, when the sound of calling voices distracted them both.

"Kiara! Kiara!"

Several fresh lionesses had arrived to meet them at the kill sites. Kiara and three lionesses had stayed behind to protect and butcher the two kills so that the remains could be brought home. Grinning broadly, the lionesses jogged up to their queen. They looked ready to jump out of their pelts in delight.

"Tojo is early," one of the lionesses reported, "and he brought his son and three lionesses with him!"

Kiara's eyes widened, a little flutter in her chest. She'd expected to see them well after dark, and it was nearing early evening. "Oh! Terrific!" She straightened up and glanced at the now guilty-faced lioness she had been speaking with a moment before. Inwardly, Kiara smirked while the other lionesses began to chatter enthusiastically. Her eyes then turned to the zebra she'd been preparing to work on. Both large carcasses would quickly attract scavengers. They would need every bit they could tear from those bones. She knew Tojo and his group would be tired from their journey. It was only polite to share the spoils of their hunt.

One of the lionesses noticed her queen's reluctance. "Go, we're fine," she said with a smile. For a second, it faltered. "Chaka hasn't returned to Pride Rock yet."

The lionesses around Kiara were terrible at masking their fear. They acted as if Chaka had already offended and chased Tojo away with his temper. The lionesses had calmed down after learning the news of Tojo's promise to come to the Pride Lands, but they were still skittish around her, and Chaka especially. It had helped, Kiara could admit, that Chaka had spent most of his time since roaming around and keeping to himself. Multiple times a day, Kiara had found herself sending wishes to the Great Kings that Chaka's walks were doing him more good than harm.

"Well..." Kiara began, "do you know where he is?"

"Watering hole, I think," someone remarked.

Kiara nodded. With matted and dusty fur, her appearance was a far cry from the respectable, calm leader that she desired to show Tojo she truly was. A swift bath would feel nice. She just hoped that Tojo wouldn't go directly to the watering hole before she could get to Chaka.

"Meet you back at the den." Kiara tried to subdue the rising nervousness in her belly. "Wish me luck?"

The lionesses nodded, a hunger for success lighting up their eyes, and wished her luck.

Walking briskly, Kiara headed to the watering hole. Once she was well away she relieved herself of a heavy, nervous breath. She reminded herself that Tojo was there specifically to advise Chaka, to help him tame his anger. That had been their deal. If anyone could help him, Kiara hoped that she had sought service from the right lion. She thought that Chaka would be able to open up to Tojo.

_He's been denied a father figure for most of his life... maybe he'll look up to Tojo and actually listen for a change._

Even as she thought this, Kiara found her hopes sinking, and she struggled to bring them back up. She _knew_ there was a part of Chaka that could listen and empathize with others. She had seen glimpses of that part of him before, but his anger had certainly made the most impact on her and the pride.

_How will I keep this pride from falling apart if Chaka can't let go of his anger?_

Walking on auto-pilot, Kiara stopped and realized she was at the watering hole. There were a few zebra and gazelle there, and they scattered once they noticed her, leaving behind a young lion. Two conspicuous lions proved to be too much, she guessed. From the rich brown of his mane to the warm glow of his fur, he looked like a miniature version of Tojo. She thought he was younger than her own children. When he noticed her coming towards him, he stopped drinking and dipped his head to her courteously. His posture was rigid, very much unlike how she'd seen Asuma or Natin stand.

"Hello, Queen Kiara," the young lion greeted her. He licked some of the water off his whiskers.

"Hello, Prince Kenyi," she replied, noting his trained, controlled tone. Her eyes took another sweep of the watering hole before she was satisfied that Chaka was no where to be seen. "I hope your journey went well."

"Yes. We made good time."

"Well, my huntresses are bringing back food to the den. You'll be able to rest."

"My father's at Pride Rock," Kenyi told her, almost pointedly before she could even ask the question. "I saw your brother, but he quickly headed off in the opposite direction."

_Right now, I don't blame him... I think if it hadn't been so disrespectful, he would have rather said "turned tail" instead of "headed off"._

Kiara smiled politely and nodded. Spending little words thanking the young lion, who clearly wanted to be alone, she started to walk towards Pride Rock, before remembering that her fur was a disaster. Irritated, she glanced over her shoulder at Kenyi, who had gone back to lapping up water. With the choice of bothering Kenyi further, or showing up at Pride Rock with filthy fur to meet his elder, she decided the latter of the two was unacceptable.

_I bet Tojo told Kenyi everything about Chaka and his attitude... if he didn't see it for himself._

Turning on her paws, she walked a little ways away from Kenyi before slipping into the water and ducking beneath the surface. The water wouldn't be a replacement for a thorough grooming, but it was better than nothing, and as the cool temperature of the water made it past her fur and to her skin, she felt her mind clear. At the surface, she sucked in a deep breath and headed back for the shore to shake out her fur.

"Hey!"

Kiara cringed. Turning slowly, she saw Kenyi frowning at his forelegs and trying to brush off the water spray she'd mistakenly sent his way.

"I'm sorry!" She cautiously stepped towards him. A burst of heat ran up the back of her neck. "I hope I didn't get you too wet. I just didn't want to look like a heathen when I went to greet your father."

The prince rolled his eyes. "It's nothing- I've got five older sisters. When Dad offered, I thought coming here would give me a break. Maybe not."

"I could only imagine." Kiara couldn't help but smile. "Kenyi, I promise not to do that again... Deal?"

Kenyi nodded solemnly. "That would be good."

Still feeling embarrassed about splashing King Tojo's son, Kiara eagerly moved on to the den of Pride Rock. She nodded to Kenyi, assuring him that food would be arriving soon. He nodded and thanked her politely.

_Let's put that embarrassment behind me..._ Kiara jogged towards her home and climbed the rocks that led to the den. By the time she reached the top, she was out of breath, and felt as if the rocks were as big as they'd been when she was little. She looked down behind her, telling herself it was her nerves.

_Breath in... breath out... Lift your head. Throw your shoulders back... Don't forget to smile._ _You're the leader of this pride, and things just haven't been going so well lately..._

"What an understatement," she muttered as she strolled towards the den. There, she found Tojo with his bird and the three lionesses she had been informed about. The four lions were busy grooming themselves, and all five pairs of eyes, in addition to the eyes of the two elderly lionesses at the back of the cave, looked up at her when her shadow fell across the floor of the den.

Kiara widened her smile when Tojo stood up and she stepped towards him. _Oh, boy..._

"Good afternoon, King Tojo."

The golden-furred lion dipped his head. His bird was still on his shoulder. "Same to you, Queen Kiara."

"I was told by your son that your journey went well. That's good to hear."

Tojo nodded again. A small smile started to form on his muzzle, reaching his blue eyes.

"You're not too tired?" Kiara went on. She glanced at the back of the cave when one of the elderly lionesses let out a rough cough. It momentarily distracted the guest lionesses, but soon they had their eyes on her again.

"I'm fine, I've dealt with worse."

Kiara flicked the end of her tail. She'd never been one for _formal_ chit-chat, and she hadn't exactly prepared what she was going to say to Tojo, not imagining that she'd have so many observing her looking so foolish.

Tojo's voice was quiet. "Kiara?"

Her eyes went to his face, and she watched as his eyes darted from her face to the outside world behind her. Ever so slightly, his chin lifted in gesture.

It was all the hint she needed.

Throwing her shoulders back again and turning slightly, she asked, "Tojo, would you like to take a walk with me?" She almost added, _"Maybe we'll run into my brother," _but thought better of it. Tojo's lionesses didn't need to be reminded that the lion they'd come to help hadn't even shown his face yet.

Tojo nodded, whispered something to his bird, and followed her out of the den, leaving the bird behind. They went cautiously down the rocky side of Pride Rock. When she turned, she found that he was standing on the matted grass, looking back at the large, formidable structure.

"I've forgotten what it's like to sleep with a roof over my head," he mused. "They come in handy when it rains. I remember it being bigger, though."

Kiara chuckled and reminded herself that long ago, Tojo had called the Pride Lands his home, back when her own father and Tojo were small cubs. Still reeling from the scene in the cave, she started to say, "Thanks, Tojo, for suggest-"

Tojo turned back to her, straight-faced. "That's enough of that," he told her firmly, but not cruelly. "I just hope you learned something about saving face. They see you in no other light other than the one _you_ want them to see you in."

Blinking and feeling her muscles tense up, she nodded back. "Of course, Tojo... It won't happen again." She then added, "I know you're here because of a very serious matter, one that I need your help to fix... It's not every day that I have to host a wise king such as yourself."

Tojo nodded, and a bit of his smile returned. "You can never go wrong with a bit of flattery," he remarked. His smile then widened.

Kiara's body relaxed and she smiled back, more easily than she would've thought. "Tojo, I wish flattery solved every problem," she admitted.

This time, he chuckled. "I'm sure you're not the only one who wishes that were a real solution." Tojo's expression changed again, to one of curiosity and confusion. "I haven't seen Timon or Pumbaa," he remarked suddenly. "Are they here?"

Kiara thought that odd to ask. Surely Tojo knew that Timon and Pumbaa had raised Simba, but she'd never expected the king to notice their presence, or lack thereof. "They went back to their jungle," she explained. "They visited when my mother was ill, and left before my cubs ran away with my nephew, Natin. Those two are getting older, and they've wanted to stick close to the meerkat colony back there." She paused, thinking something over.

"I might come off as wise," Tojo said quietly, "but you know I cannot read minds."

"I think," Kiara began, and paused again for a moment. "... I think they left again so quickly because they couldn't stand to see Chaka so angry... and my son..." she trailed off. "My mother must've been their last connection here, and it's not like I stopped them from leaving again. Everything's changed."

Tojo nodded. "Things aren't meant to stay the same, Kiara."

"I know..." _I know that most of all,_ she added silently.

Tojo sat down. "Unless I'm mistaken, Timon and Pumbaa were part of Chaka's life when he was a cub?"

Kiara nodded, smiling as she sat down, too. "Yes, his babysitters." Her smile widened. "Babysitting isn't their specialty, but I know they're important to him, even if he hasn't spent a lot of quality time with them since his return home."

"Good," Tojo said. "Kiara, I want you to do something for me."

Her head tilted to the side in curiosity. "Yes?"

"I want you to find Timon and Pumbaa and bring them here. They can tell me about Chaka's cubhood with Simba."

Kiara's eyes widened.

"By the time Simba returned to the Pride Lands, I already had a pride of my own. And then Simba had to rebuild the Pride Lands, and he started a family of his own," Tojo continued. His eyes softened. "It didn't leave a lot of time for heartfelt conversations, as you can imagine. I want Chaka to understand who his father was. I think that will help him, and I think you agree. I'll need to talk to you later, too. For now, I need you to find Timon and Pumbaa."

Kiara nodded. She glanced down for a moment. "What about my pride? Will they trust me to leave them with you and Chaka in charge? They've learned to be... cautious... about change."

"Do _you_ trust me?"

She nodded. "Yes, I think this is a great idea."

"Then they will trust that you have nothing but their best interests in mind."

Slower this time, Kiara nodded again. Inwardly she smiled, thanking her father for taking her to his former home when she'd been young, before she'd even been old enough to hunt for herself. She'd only visited once, but remembered everything clearly enough, mostly because it had fascinated her that she was walking the same route her father had taken on his way to face Scar. "I can have them here in two days, maybe three. It will be the trip back that will take some time. I can leave after sunset. I'll move faster if it's cool."

At that moment, Kenyi returned from the watering hole. He stopped in front of his father and made a confused face. "She's leaving?"

Tojo nodded. "Yes, she's running an_ important _errand for me." The king then gave his son a stern look, presumably for not asking the lioness herself, before turning his attention back to Kiara. "Queen Kiara, would you allow my son to escort you?"

Kiara's eyes widened in surprise. With one glance at Kenyi, she knew they were thinking the same thing. The anxious looks on their faces were obvious when Tojo asked what was the matter. When Kenyi lowered his ears, shifted his weight, and looked away, Kiara knew the situation was hers to explain. She tried to laugh it off. "I was hunting and was a filthy mess," she said. "I went for a swim and... I accidentally splashed Kenyi. I guess I remind him of his sisters."

Tojo was smiling at the end of her explanation. "Is this true, Kenyi?" In a surprisingly fatherly gesture, he teasingly bumped his son's foreleg with his big paw.

The young lion stumbled. "Yes," he admitted, a small smile breaking his features. "She promised she wouldn't do it again."

"Wonderful, then I can trust you two will get along well. Kiara, I couldn't let you take care of Timon and Pumbaa alone," Tojo explained, "and my son could use some practice being a civil servant. Our shaman has it in her mind that he's her replacement."

"I don't know why," Kenyi muttered.

"You can't learn everything in one day, Son," Tojo remarked. His gaze then refocused on something behind Kiara and he walked forward. "It looks like those huntresses could use some help." Over his shoulder, leaving them behind, he added, "Thank you for providing this meal, Kiara."

She nodded. "No problem."

"So... We're leaving somewhere at sunset?" Kenyi asked quietly. "Queen Kiara."

"Yes, Prince Kenyi," Kiara replied, trying to smile warmly at the younger lion. "Why don't we go back into the cave, and I'll explain our task over our dinner?"

He nodded and followed her back up the rocks. "Maybe this won't be like dealing with my sisters after all."

Kiara grinned. "That's the kind of attitude that I like."

_And I hope it's the kind of attitude that Tojo will rub off onto Chaka..._

* * *

"Tojo's boy saw me run away- or at least that's who I thought it was. It felt horrible."

"If you had really run away, you'd be at the border."

Chaka grimaced. "I guess."

"Maybe you should just sit. I believe you think irrationally when you pace. You might start to claw up my tree again."

Chaka hadn't even noticed the pacing. He stopped and walked over to Tswane, sitting down.

They were at the base of the shaman's tree. The mandrill was resting on his behind with his back leaning into the huge trunk. His staff was lying across his stretched-out hind legs.

"You've visited me two days in a row. I'd feel special if I knew this was purely a social call." Tswane chuckled.

"I'm going to screw this up, and Tojo's gonna leave."

"Say things like that," Tswane told him, his face growing a bit serious, "and you will."

Chaka sighed through his teeth and looked around. Frustrated, he shook his head. "I can't fail. I'm gonna insult Tojo, and then he'll leave."

"You're thinking too hard." Tswane tapped the side of his head with a finger. "You're an over-thinker, Chaka."

"Can't help it."

Sitting there for a moment, Tswane then crossed his hind legs and placed his staff on the ground in front of him. "Well, I'm sick of hearing you complain about being angry with others and yourself. That's all I heard from you yesterday." He closed his eyes and shifted his weight. His arms lifted and he touched his thumb to his forefinger on both paws. "I'm going to teach you to meditate. How's that?"

Chaka raised his eyebrow and blinked slowly. "Meditation?"

"Chaka, you speak as if it is beneath you." Tswane opened one eye. "Is meditation beneath you? Because I don't think it is."

He muttered, "No, it's not..."

"Close your eye and shut up then."

"I can't sit like that, y'know."

"Close your eye."

Sighing through his teeth again, Chaka obeyed. "How long are we going to sit here?"

"Bored?"

"No. But, I-"

"Excuses, excuses. Just sit here for as long as you _need,_ Chaka," Tswane snapped. "You'll get it, you'll see. Now put everything out of your mind, and breathe. This is probably going to be one of the hardest things you'll ever have to learn."

"I can't sit here all afternoon." He tried to concentrate- on what he didn't know. "Tojo's at Pride Rock."

_This is stupid._

"Stay perfectly still."

_What am I doing?_

"I said, be still."

Tswane held down Chaka's tail with his staff. He hadn't even realized his tail had moved.

"Well, if you plan on cutting your visit short, Chaka, you're going to make a fool out of yourself with some stupid breathing exercises."

Chaka opened his eye and gave the mandrill an odd look.

Tswane chuckled and opened his eyes. "Just warning you."

"Tell me what to do already."

"Let's get to it then."

* * *

_"He's dead," came a scratchy voice out of the dark._

_ "So soon?"_

_ "Of course." The haggard lioness, who normally observed the world with an expressionless mask, gave a smirk. "Why should they let him linger? Fola, I didn't raise you to be so naive..."_

_ Fola growled at her foster mother, but did not otherwise allow herself to rise to the taunt, especially since one of the old lioness's sons was part of the plot to overthrow their senile king. "What are your orders, Terrah?"_

_ The old lioness turned away. "Spread the word to the youngsters who have expressed their wishes to leave this place. No cubs." She spat out the last four words. "I'll tell the others."_

_ "The meeting place?"_

_ "Mouth of the pass," Terrah replied, "before sunrise."_

_ Fola nodded. The pride had moved to the valley several years before, before she'd been born. Scouts had found it. The old king had been paranoid of attack from a neighboring pride he had tried to conquer, but had failed in his attempt, and the valley was perfectly protected on all sides. The only way into the valley was through a mountain pass that always had eyes watching it. At first everything had been fine. They were able to carry on, train in peace. It wasn't until the previous dry season when rumors of a coup began to spread through the ranks, trickling down from the king's inner circle, to the warriors, and then to the mother lionesses. The senior warriors who were closest to the king were restless and the failure that had caused them to move their whole pride left them feeling infuriated and weak. Were they supposed to hide out in that valley forever? Fola remembered how the whispered rumors had transformed into legitimate plans after the rainy season had hit that year, bringing a flash flood that had wiped out a good chunk of the pride. The lives lost had mainly been the full-grown warriors who lived in that part of the valley, including the lion she'd been betrothed to. Fola remembered being upset about the ten young warriors-in-training who'd been swept away with the waters._

_ "They didn't give me the notches in my ears," Fola whispered under her breath as she carried out Terrah's orders._

Fola opened her eyes and squinted in the sunlight. It was early evening. She was sleep-deprived, only able to think about her friend's death. It did not console her to think that Sauda had merely been in the wrong place at the right time- Kovu would've killed any one of them if they'd stopped him and Natin from getting in the way. It also didn't console her to think that Sauda had pushed Kovu's buttons one too many times, or that she would've died the same way most likely if they'd stayed with their pride.

She glanced over her shoulder. Her pridesisters were lying placidly under the shade of a tree while they waited for three scouts to return. Fola was the only one keeping watch.

_Fifteen young lionesses waited silently in the thick bushes and underbrush near the mountain pass. Sauda, with her missing tooth and scruffy fur, was crouched next to her. Their eyes were trained on the ten figures moving towards their hiding place._

_ "Does one of them have a mane?" Sauda whispered._

_ Fola squinted and she felt her shoulders tense up. Terrah had assured her that the guards would conveniently be missing during their escape, and it would take more than one male to stop them all._

_ "You can come out now," Fola heard Terrah call out. "Lousy job you all did in hiding- I can see all the broken branches plain as day."_

_ Grumbling, the younger lionesses emerged from their hiding spots and joined their elders as they walked by to the mouth of the mountain pass. Fola searched the group for the lion that Sauda thought she'd seen, and sure enough she laid eyes a lion with a brown mane, light-colored fur, and green eyes._

_ Her heart had distinctly leapt in her chest, but she knew better than to approach the lion. He was an outsider, and the pride as a whole had made sure that he realized that it was better for everyone if he just kept to himself. She'd talked to him a few times, usually when there was nobody around who cared what she did. They'd even sparred before when he'd asked if someone would teach him the warrior skills their elders refused to teach an outsider, and she knew he could hold his own just by size alone. She wondered if Terrah was aware of this, or had just pitied the outsider so much that she didn't care if he tagged along._

_ They fell in line with the older lions leading and falling in behind the younger lions. The lionesses who were leaving had been told that bringing cubs was not an option, especially if they were stopped. Their future was going to be uncertain, and at least in the valley there was some certainty. Rulers generally had enough sense to value the lives of youngsters. Many of the lionesses were either too young or two old to have cubs, but the ones who had been caring for cubs had pushed them off onto other mothers who were staying with the pride. Fola knew few of the lionesses were upset by this, mostly due to how the lionesses in their pride did not care for their own cubs, but for the cubs of other mothers who had cubs of a similar age. This was due to the ridiculous belief that strong bonds with one's biological mother made potentially great warriors soft. A mother did not forget who her real cubs were, and still found ways to look after them, but she knew it was easier to discipline a cub that wasn't truly hers._

_ The pass was only a couple miles long, and wasn't especially treaturous, just narrow. Fola looked up at the dark walls of jagged rock that flanked the pass. Up above, there was a strip of sky and stars that reminded her of a shimmering body of water._

_ "That's the sky that's going to lead you to freedom," called a hoarse voice, "so remember it for the rest of your miserable lives."_

"Hey, Fola? Hell-ooo?"

Fola blinked and realized that the three scouts had returned. They were laughing at her with their eyes.

"What did you find?" Fola asked before they could ask what she'd been daydreaming about. "They're close now?"

They nodded.

"We followed them for a while. Like we thought, they're walking along the river. Right now they're resting by a tree, their backs to each other," one of the lionesses reported. "They were bickering."

"Good," Fola replied, satisfied by the report. "We'll wake the others and go and greet the prince and princess."

As if Fola wasn't even standing there in front of her, one of the lionesses, the youngest, suddenly exclaimed, looking at the other two lionesses, "We've been hunting these bozos for days. I'm tired of this!"

Fola's eyes widened, and she felt her nostrils flare. It would serve no purpose to thrash the lioness, as much as she wanted to. "Wake the others," she repeated slowly, "and tell them we've found Kovu's cubs."

The lioness shuffled her paws, and the other two took a step away from her.

"Now."

"Fola..." the lioness whined. This time at least the antagonistic expression on her face had melted into irritation and exhaustion. "Aren't you sick of chasing something that is probably never going to be ours?"

"You mean the Pride Lands?"

The same lioness nodded. "The valley may not have worked out, but I still think of it as _home._ I _want _a home again! All we do is wander like rogues, bored out of our skulls."

Fola frowned. "I heard no complaints when Sauda and Kovu were leading. Now, everyone's lazy and doesn't seem to mind that Sauda was murdered."

Another lioness shrugged and admitted, "This is a separate issue from Sauda's murder. That killer promised us a home."

"And I'm not promising you the same thing," Fola stated, saying the implied thought. "So then I should be ignored."

"Sorry, Fola," the first lioness said, genuinely apologetic. "Honestly, the more I think about it, the more I feel we've wasted our time."

"Yeah," another lioness added, "in the valley, we had some kind of a future... But out here..."

Fola looked from face to face. Nobody had elected her as leader, she'd just naturally taken Sauda's place. Nobody had protested- nobody had even needed to _speak_- when they'd found Sauda's broken body and had followed the trail of Kovu and his family. They'd taken _action_. Now, more and more of the anger they'd initially felt towards Kovu was melting away. She concentrated for a moment to see if the same shift was happening to her, too, but she was confident that it hadn't happened to her just yet.

"What do you want from me?" Fola asked, trying to keep her voice neutral. She honestly needed to know, and if she was going to continue to lead her pridesisters, it was important that she kept their wishes in mind. "D'you want to walk away from all this right now, and forget about Kovu's cubs?"

The youngest lioness looked back at her steadily. "No! I didn't mean that we should walk away from those two, but I think that... that should just be it. We can avenge Sauda, but then couldn't we concentrate on finding a real home? Without having to hunt down Kovu, too? Otherwise, why'd we bother leaving the valley?"

One lionesses said, "Endings mean fresh starts."

"I see..." It was to their credit that they hadn't just mutinied without warning.

"We were born to survive, Fola. These days, we have a choice in how we get to live."

At this, Fola had to suppress a smile. "How far away are they?"

"Not far. About a mile."

Fola nodded, looking absently into the distance. "They might not travel again until after dark, maybe morning. They're exhausted. Low-spirited. Unprepared." Her eyes then refocused onto the three lionesses. "We'll discuss this more once we've dealt with those two. Understand? Is that fine?"

The lionesses looked skeptical before they turned to each other and seemed to wordlessly agree with a singular nod. "That's acceptable," one said for the three of them. Her mouth then turned up into a toothy grin. "Everybody's curious to figure out what was going on behind our backs."

Fola let her smile show. "Indeed."

* * *

There was no argument on Asuma's tongue when Tanga wanted to stop for the day. He squinted his tired eyes and tried to focus on the breeze that had kept them slightly cooler than the day before. There were far fewer trees around than at their previous resting spot, but they were able to steal shade from one of them. Asuma and Tanga hung close to the tree trunk. The sun hung right above the horizon.

Tanga pawed at the ground to clear away a few sharp rocks and sticks. "D'you really think this river is gonna run all the way to the Pride Lands?" She flipped away a thorny twig before sitting down with a sigh. "Or, what if we went the wrong way?" A faint amount of panic had entered her voice. "Natin said-"

"Are you saying we should come up with a better plan?" Asuma's paws were tender, but he would look at them after Tanga fell asleep or left to hunt.

She made a face before lying down on her hip, stretching out on her side. The toes on all four of her paws peeked out of the shade. "Yes..." She sighed tiredly. More quietly, she added, her eyes trying to grab his, "Please tell me that if we find someone we'll ask for help?"

He wasn't so sure.

"Is it the asking for help part?" she mused. "...Or the danger we might put ourselves in by asking strangers?"

He glanced away. "Well... we_ shouldn't_ be reckless."

Tanga's nose twitched in irritation. She rolled her eyes and she twisted around to expose her belly to the breeze. "Yep, still as open as a rock..." she muttered, closing her eyes and curling up her forelegs so they rested on her chest. "Y'know how you've been thinking a lot? Well, I've been thinking a lot, too, Asuma."

Asuma raised a brow, even if she couldn't see it. _What now?_ he groaned inwardly.

She began, "Scar was Grandfather's uncle, right?"

"Yes," Asuma replied.

"...Which makes him our great-great uncle, making us blood relatives to Scar."

He shrugged. "Sure."

Her eyes were still closed. "And Scar was a hateful, selfish murderer. So... does that mean a small part of me is like that, too?"

"No." Asuma narrowed his eyes. "_What_ in the world are you talking about? You're babbling."

She smiled, though her eyes remained closed. "So, I'm nothing like Scar? _I_ could never be like him?"

He lowered his ears and frowned unhappily. _Yes... you could put it that way... You're too perfect._

"And I was also thinking..." she went on when he didn't respond. Her voice was light, but clear. "...about how Scar murdered Grandfather's father. His own brother! And about how Scar tried to kill Simba twice when he was a cub. Why did Simba let Scar live?"

Asuma stared at her face. "He didn't save Scar from the hyenas, if that's where this conversation is heading."

"Okay, so then why didn't Simba kill Zira?" she retorted. "When he thought she'd killed-"

He closed his eyes and sighed tiredly. "Tanga, no more arguments about this, alright? I get it."

Slowly, she opened her eyes. She squinted in the sunlight and shook her head. "I wish you did."

"Fine," he said sharply, "I guess I don't. Now, I'm begging you- I want to lie here in peace."

Tanga shrugged and turned over so her back was facing him. "Fine, Asuma."

Tensing his mouth into a thin line and giving a low, frustrated growl, Asuma stretched out on his belly. He folded and tucked his paws neatly under his chin, his back to his sister. Eyelids heavy, his mind wouldn't heed his warnings and quiet down.

_If I never sleep again, it'll be my own fault. It is my fault, I did this... I know exactly why I can't sleep, and I did this to myself. It's what I deserve after leaving that old lion to die. Great Kings, I'm cruel! Little does Tanga know... I didn't lay a paw on him, but his blood is there... Like father, like son, I guess... It's what I wanted after all. To know what it's like._

This last part triggered a crushing pain in his chest.

He had no recollection of the last time he'd slept well. Even with Tswane's drugs, his nightmares had poked at the edges of his dreamless sleep, large pieces sometimes managing to slip in. The dream had nearly always been the same. When he'd been younger, it had horrified him to know that only the herbs were keeping the nightly terrors away... but over time, he'd gotten used to it.

_No... I grew numb to them._

Asuma clenched his eyes shut so tight he saw white stars beneath his eyelids. The nightmare was waiting for him on the other side. It was going to be worse than before, because now he had that mess of his very own to tease his conscious- it wasn't only going to be his imagination fluttering in every direction like a flock of panicked birds. There now was horribly concrete material to draw from.

Lying there, part of him, he discovered, wanted to fall into the dream, just to get it over with... being so conscious of every little thing pained him.

_Going along with Natin's assassin mission was the_ dumbest_ thing I've ever done._

He wasn't sure where he belonged anymore, but that was nothing new. Tanga belonged in the Pride Lands, with their family, but his home hadn't felt the same after what had happened. Sometimes it felt as if he was trapped in a wall of water while the rest of his family was gathered together on one side. Often, his senses were dull- he would hear less clearly, or he would retreat far into his thoughts so that his vision was cloudy. The water also wasn't keeping him hostage, but was warm and protecting. It was a barrier between his family and him. He knew what he had to do to join his family.

The muscles in his face grew stiff. He could hear Tanga's soft, deep breathing patterns behind him, and he opened his eyes and sat up to inspect his paws before it grew too dark to see them.

_Looking better._

He cleaned them carefully before he curled up again and closed his irritated, tired eyes, _but I still couldn't run for miles on them._

It wasn't long after that when his dreams finally crept in from the edges of his mind and took over, drawing him under into the world only he knew. At least the repetitive nature of his dreams let him know where he was, and that his actions had substantially less severe consequences for him here, unlike in the waking world...

* * *

_**(A/N: I tried to trim this chapter down so it wasn't as lengthy as they have been lately, on top of some relief with Kiara and Chaka, some more background on the savage lionesses, and then setting up Asuma for the next chapter. The next chapter is just missing one section, but I make no promises on a quick update. Most of my time has been spent mostly trying to provide the "good" ending that some seem to want for Kovu, but I'm not kidding when I say I don't want a "Twilight: Breaking Dawn" type ending, where most of the book is spent building up to something that is resolved with one lame conversation- you've been forewarned! :))**_


	37. All In One's Mind

**[A/N: Update time! And I did it inside of a month... by 3 days... Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy.]**

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Asuma wanted the dream to drag him under, just to get it over with. Being so conscious of every little thing was too painful. His jaw grew stiff. When he could hear Tanga's soft, deep breathing patterns behind him, he opened his eyes and sat up to inspect his paws.

_Looking better_, _but I still can't run for miles._

He rested his chin upon his paws, closed his eyes, and soon, his dream crept in from the edges of his mind and took over, drawing him under into his own dark world. Thankfully, the repetitive nature of his dreams let him know where he was, and that his actions had substantially less severe consequences for him, unlike in the waking world...

Asuma was patient. His head was bowed, his ears cocked.

_No rain, just burning, wretched heat. I hear those angry roars in the distance, but no cloud of dust yet._

He started to walk, slowly at first, until the black clouds came to blot out the white ball of oppressive heat overhead. He picked up his pace a bit. Soon after, he became soaked with rain, and the cold seeped into his flesh and bone. Strands of his mane fell over the bridge of his nose, and he shook his head, throwing rainwater in all directions to clear his vision.

When Asuma finally heard it, the voice that belonged to the old stranger he'd left to die, he took a deep breath and shivered violently.

"_Help_! Dammit, help! Please! _Help_ me, you _fool!"_

There was no point in tracing the source of the voice. He was already imagining what there would be for him to find- the elderly stranger, trapped in the hole and half-decayed, dried up and thin. Probably red-eyed and caked in mud... He expected the stranger to also be missing his claws from one escape attempt after another- or maybe there would a spear sticking out of his side?

Asuma had Kovu and Simba to find. Already, he thought he could hear the labored breathing of someone dragging something heavy through the wet earth and brush. He _needed_ to find them, and this time, he wouldn't just stand there arguing with his demon-of-a-father, cringing away from his corpse-of-a-grandfather.

"Hey!"

Asuma jumped.

"What're you doing here?" a shrill, breathless voice called from behind Asuma.

He didn't recognize the voice, and quickly turned his head. His eyes widened.

Gawking up at him was a small cub with a limp, dark-brown tuft on his head. The spatters of mud on his limbs suggested that he'd been running. Narrowed eyes upon Asuma, the cub said confusedly, "You shouldn't... Why are you here...?"

Asuma frowned and shifted his weight. He hadn't even noticed his muscles had tensed when his shoulders relaxed. He thought he'd never seen this cub before- dream territory, or otherwise. He studied the cub's face, hoping to make sense of who- or what- the cub represented.

_Dreams mean things now don't they._

Suddenly, the cub was jumping at his forelegs, and it took Asuma a moment to realize that the cub was trying to either knock him over or push him backwards. "Ouch, hey!" he exclaimed and gritted his teeth when the cub scratched him. "What are you doing?" He expected the cub to transform into a beast fifty times his size. He took several steps back and leveled his glare at the cub.

The cub's expression was one of undisguised fear and remorse. He was still out of breath. "No time. You have to run, Asuma!"

Asuma's eyes narrowed in confusion. When the cub lunged again, he held out a paw. "Stop that. Who are you?"

The cub opened his mouth to answer, but a tremendous roar swallowed up his words. Cowering and slapping his paws over his head, the cub shook violently. The mud from his paws dripped down the sides of his head, down his squared chin. His green eyes were completely round.

_What's happening?_ Asuma shook his head in disbelief. _Who are you?_

"Nonono... This isn't what I wanted!"

Dismayed, Asuma stared at the cub.

"This is too much..." the cub babbled on. "This is too much..."

Asuma looked around. Only rain and mud. Maybe this was a joke. Maybe his mind had finally, completely, splintered. Things like that happened; it was to be expected of someone like him. A horrid, bitter taste clung to the back of his throat, and his head ached. Bringing a paw up to rub his temple, he shut his eyes.

"Oh no..."

Asuma almost lost his balance when the strange cub lunged again. The youngster was shrieking now. Horrified by the cub's fit, Asuma tried to restrain him.

"Stop that!"

"No!" The cub howled and tried to bat Asuma away with his paws. He shook his small head. "Look! She's gonna get us! I don't want her to get you! Look!"

"Calm down!" Asuma managed to pin the cub on his back. The young cub was strong for his size, and Asuma struggled to hold him without the use of his claws.

Blinking hard against the rain pelting his face, the dark-furred cub, growling, clawed at Asuma with his thrashing hind legs. _"Loook!" _he howled.

Asuma did look.

He saw clearly, and he _knew_ who the cub was. He _knew!_ The cub's head turned to the side, to look at something that terrified him, and Asuma recognized the sharp profile of his father, minus the scars that accounted for everything he'd ever done. Asuma felt his claws slide out of his toes.

"Look ou-!"

It didn't occur to Asuma that something had slammed into his side, forcing him away from the cub, until he tried to plant his paws on the ground again. Sharp, stabbing pain lanced through his rib cage and shoulder. Asuma's ears rang after his head and the rest of his body had landed in the unforgiving wet earth. He tried to shake it off, blinded by the tendrils of his drenched mane, but he couldn't find the strength or recover his breath fast enough. With a weak grunt, the side of Asuma's head fell back into the mud.

"Pathetic, just as you were! There was no point in warning him."

"Shut up!"

The hoarse, female voice cut through the air before a peal of thunder rolled over the land. He heard a cackling laugh, and he swore he heard the cub- Kovu- yelp, but he wasn't sure.

"He doesn't stand a chance when he comes for you. You'll murder him like you did Sauda... and me..."

"No, I won't!"

That explained a lot, why Natin and Kovu had made them wait after the ambush distraction. Asuma lifted his head and saw the thin form of a lioness as she circled him. The bones of her pelvis, spine, and ribs stuck out harshly, like sharp rocks on flat land. As his eyes began to refocus, he saw that there was blood on her neck and chest. Soon, he saw her shredded throat, which exposed more than he was willing to describe. Asuma's light-headedness only increased.

_Wake up! Wake up!_

"Oh, you see what your father did to me? Well, well, it's only a preview." The red-eyed lioness smirked. "If he can sink his teeth into his dear mother, then he'll do it to you, too, Asuma."

"No..." Asuma murmured in dumbfounded shock. "Zira...?" The lioness had a stripe on her forehead, a notch in one ear. Every smile flashed a good deal of her teeth. Her features were sharp, reminding him of a sleeker, dangerous version of Vitani.

_Why didn't he just do that to me? Instead he just played mind games!_

"Please!" Kovu's shrill voice was laden in misery. "No more! Stop! When I asked the Council to help me with his nightmares-"

Suddenly, Zira growled and bounded away from Asuma's side. If Asuma had been quicker, he would've seen Zira strike the cub. All he saw was Kovu's small body soaring through the air. He landed in the mud with a muffled squeak, his chin and chest digging into the loose earth. He was still for a long, tense moment before he started to push himself to his paws, coughing and spitting the mud from his small mouth.

"What nobody counted on, my son, was how _your_ nightmares would play into things."

Asuma blinked, rolling to his paws. _Huh? Council...? Did Grandfather talk about them once?_

Kovu climbed to his small paws, too, and took on a firm stance, though he looked weak. His eyes closed.

"Like I said," Zira scoffed. "Pathetic." The lioness was circling them both now. "Neither of you have had the courage to kill the other."

Kovu shook his head, face pinched in fear. "None of this is real..."

Asuma blinked the rain from his eyes. He focused on the cub. Of course none of this was real! But somehow... this cub before him was actually his father, and somehow- obviously only the Great Kings knew how!- they were sharing this dream. Kovu and Zira were intruders, as far as he was concerned. He put Zira out of his mind as she continued to circle, slowly making the ring tighter. Once or twice Asuma had to take a step closer towards the shivering cub so that she wouldn't be tempted to brush up against him. The thought alone made him curl his lip.

When the cub opened his eyes again, son and father's gazes locked.

"Coward," Asuma hissed. "Of course this isn't real."

Kovu's mouth dropped open. It looked like he was trying to say something.

"Are you still alive?" Asuma asked. There was something tangible about the creature before him that he hadn't felt before, something that the projection of Zira lacked.

Kovu nodded, almost reluctantly. "I think so."

Asuma felt his face twitch in irritation.

"Son, I-"

"Did I frighten you," Asuma interrupted, "when I said I thought it was my duty to hunt down Simba's killer? I must have. You didn't want Tswane or Rafiki to know about my _dreams_. What was it like?"

"He's waiting for his answer..." Zira remarked in a sing-song voice.

Kovu glanced up at her for a moment before his sad eyes focused on Asuma once more. "Asuma I'm sorry I hurt you I was confused! Yes yes I was scared!" he blurted, his small voice cracking. "I wanna help you!"

Zira let out a low chuckle when she slid past. "Help you to the grave..." she whispered.

"No!" Kovu's snarl was guttural, and he bared his small teeth at Zira. "Go away!" The fur along his spine stood on end. His laughable bravado was short-lived however when Zira walked by and tipped him over with one deft stroke of her filthy paw. He cowered in the mud.

Watching, Asuma's chest started to heave in dark anger. Zira didn't concern him at all when he already knew she was untrustworthy. What angered him was that his father was in his own, private dream, desecrating it! What made him furious was that his ancestors had placed Kovu here! Why did the Council care? Why help Kovu? Why make Kovu a cub? To protect him? But, whether that was true, it did not matter. What mattered was that Kovu was before him, scared out of his wits by a shade, entirely useless. Zira had circled ten more times before something occurred to Asuma, as he watched Kovu cringe every time she walked by him.

"When you look at me, is what I'm looking at now what you see?" Asuma walked forward until Kovu was at his paws. "I am! I see it now_._"

Kovu slowly looked up at him, pouting. "What?" There were harsh lines on his muddy face, and his ears were low. "No," he croaked, "that's not-."

He gritted his teeth. "I hate you. For what you did... Everything that you've done! Why'd you throw it all away?" He flexed his paws, and this did not escape Kovu's notice. "I think that's what bothers me the most." He glimpsed Zira's form out of the corner of his eye as she slunk past. "You pretend to be someone else, didn't you... but _nobody_, especially you, can completely cover up who they_ really _are. A coward. A trickster. Liar. Murderer."

_I would know._

Kovu gaped at him.

Asuma turned his head and followed Zira with his eyes, his throat clenching when she chuckled.

Kovu's voice shook. "A-Asuma?"

Asuma lifted his chin, listening, but not taking his attention off Zira. He resisted the urge to flick the end of his tail.

"The Council... They talked about... a... a test."

"Yes?"

"D-d'you know... what I'm talking about?"

_The old lion... The hole..._

Asuma stood perfectly still. Only his eyes followed Zira now. "If there was one, I failed it," he answered calmly.

There was a squeak of fear, but Kovu moved on. "An-and I need to warn you! The lionesses are coming after you! You and Tanga have to run!"

Asuma's eyes widened. "What!" he growled. If the lionesses caught them, he doubted they had little chance of surviving on their own. "Why are they chasing _us_ and not _you?_"

Kovu shrank back. "I'm sorry! But they know how much you two mean to me, and-"

Asuma raised his paw.

"Asuma, wait!" Kovu ducked and smothered his voice with the paws held over his shaking head. "No violence, please!"

Asuma scoffed. "Right... I should be passive-aggressive like you?"

Kovu's eyes peeked out of his paws. "I'm sorry, Son. I'm so sorry..."

Through his teeth, Asuma spat, "Your lies... Your words are meaningless."

Kovu closed his eyes and shivered. He tucked his tail closer to his body.

Zira still circled, waiting for an opening. Now that Asuma was standing over Kovu, he thought she was more anxious. She snarled and switched directions occasionally. Her eyes were sharp, and full of nothing by seething hatred. Unsettled, Asuma looked back down at Kovu. "If you want to make a difference, show me how I'm going to protect Tanga from the lionesses."

"You can't! You can only run." Kovu's eyes were wide again as he sat up.

"Run to where? We're _lost_!" Asuma paused to snarl at Zira when she came too close. "We're following the river- how long do we follow the river before we get to the Pride Lands?"

Kovu's eyes dulled. "It's shorter if you head north, away from the river. You'll come to an oasis, the same one where Simba grew up."

Asuma nodded. "I'll tell Tanga to run there. The trees will protect her if she can make it."

"No!" Kovu insisted. "You have to run, too!" A troubled look then crossed his face.

Asuma felt his shoulders stiffen. "My paws are wounded. I'll slow her down. I'm not about to run away until I succumb to exhaustion- it will be _worth_ giving Tanga a chance at survival."

"There's too many of them!"

Asuma curled his lip. He felt sick. "I know. Tanga might only need the amount of time they'll spend with me to get away. It's all I can do."

"But the..." Kovu hesitated, "But the Council- they told me I'm responsible for making sure you're the next king!"

With a snarl, Asuma pushed his nose into the cub's. "Why? Nobody deserves me as their king," he growled.

"They didn't say why..." Kovu's face was pitiful, and his eyes widened. "Let them take you prisoner. Please! I'm going to the Pride Lands to get help! If you stay alive long enough, I can get you help! I can get you home!"

Asuma glanced up at Zira as she passed behind Kovu. It angered him that Kovu was returning to the Pride Lands, just as he'd feared. They'd never believe him, and he figured that Chaka would kill him on the spot, just like the lionesses were going to do to him. It had been obvious to Asuma from the first mention of the lionesses that he couldn't rely on others to get him out of his situation, and he was tired of Kovu's stalling.

"Just show me how to defend Tanga," he said coldly, quietly. "That's all you can do for me."

~ ~ * * * ( ) * * * ~ ~

"When will you be back?"

Kiara sat beside her brother outside of the quiet den at Pride Rock. They whispered back and forth. The night air was calm, the scent of grass strong. Twisting her ears, the young queen tried to detect any trace of birdsong or the cry of a hooved beast.

_Nothing... it means nothing. They're just resting their voices..._

Regardless, there was a feeling of foreboding in the back of her mind that she shrugged off.

"In a couple of days." She glanced away. The sun had been down for a couple of hours. She was allowing Kenyi, who had all but passed out after their dinner, to rest before they departed. "You'll be okay, Chaka."

Chaka sighed heavily. "Hope you're right."

"Tswane will keep helping you. And Tojo, too."

He rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "I'll talk less. And... pace less."

Kiara smiled. "And... listen more?"

He wouldn't smile back, and only looked more worried. Long lines drew down the corners of his mouth. His good eye listlessly scanned the night-enshrouded Pride Lands.

There was a question that Kiara had wanted to ask for a while. Something she'd sensed about him. "Do you feel at home here? You don't- It doesn't seem like you really..."

"Fit in?" His expression was flat. "No. But I'm trying hard to make the best of things, given my past. _Very_ hard."

Kiara lowered her ears.

"There was a saying told to the young warriors-in-training- in the pride that raised me," Chaka went on. "'We're made stronger by our hardships'. Sounds kinda cruel... but it's true."

Kiara's paw went over her brother's paw. "You're very strong, Chaka. You're just feeling lost. This family is full of lions who've been lost at one time or another... but," she added, "if it comes down to it... you're not obligated to stay."

"Well, I want to..." Chaka looked down at her paw, his gaze curious for a moment before his ears lowered. He whispered, "We made so many mistakes with your son. We're the reason he left."

Kiara closed her eyes, assuring herself that he wasn't antagonizing her. Blaming her. He'd said 'we', not 'you'. Tears prickled behind her eyelids.

"They'll both be changed when they get back." More quietly, he added, "Natin, too, not that I trust that liar as far as I could throw him."

"Yes, but Tanga and Asuma are still my cubs, and we have no idea what Natin's been through," she whispered. "I'll lead them back. I'll teach them, and I won't hide anything anymore." She stared straight ahead. "I'll lead everyone back."

Someone cleared his throat behind them, and Chaka pulled his paw out from under hers. Kiara turned, and Kenyi was standing near the mouth of the cave with Tojo's, half-awake blue bird on his shoulder.

"We're borrowing Bron from my father." The young lion yawned.

Kiara smiled. _We've been without Zazu, or even a proper majordomo, for so long that I guess we forgot how much of an asset it is to have a bird around._ She decided that filling that position should rank high on her list of things to do when she returned. _If we'd had a bird, I could have used him or her to find my family and keep an eye out for those lionesses Kovu's associated himself with..._

"Kiara, are we ready to leave?"

"Er... Kenyi," Kiara began quietly, "could I have a little more time with my brother?"

With a nod, the prince headed down the side of Pride Rock to wait.

"Well, good luck, Sister. Bring Timon and Pumbaa home safe."

"Thanks, and I hope they'll be helpful, like Tojo thinks." Kiara grinned at Chaka. "You'll be okay," she asserted. "You only have to be strong _enough_ to become the lion you wish to be." Impulsively, she nuzzled his mane. "Take care."

Chaka chuckled and nuzzled the top of her head. "I will. I'll do my best."

~ ~ * * * ( ) * * * ~ ~

Kovu's limbs shot out straight. His body was tumbling back to consciousness, and he had to catch himself to land safely. His muscles felt like they'd been cramping the entire time he'd been asleep. His chest hurt, and there was a terrible taste in his mouth. His eyes burned, throat tight.

"Calm down."

He thrashed when a paw grazed his back. It had shocked him. He almost slashed Natin's foreleg.

Eyes wide, Natin back-stepped quickly and snarled. "Hey! Calm it down!"

Kovu's hot body gave a shudder and he tried to stop panting. He rolled onto his back, swallowing thickly, trying not to gag. It was just after dark, and they were resting for Natin's sake under a tree.

"Have yourself some happy dreams?" Natin came closer and stood over him. "I've never seen so much thrashing and twitching, and you wouldn't wake up," he explained. "You muttered Asuma's name, and something about the Council. I thought you were dreaming of warning him about Sauda's-"

"I _was_ warning him." Kovu's voice was hoarse. "It _was_ Asuma!"

Natin frowned harshly. "What're you talking about?"

"I asked the Council to do something about his dreams- they said they couldn't because it complicates freewill- but I guess they found a compromise." He shivered.

_The only benefit of that compromise was that I was able to warn them._

"That's crazy."

Kovu shook his head adamantly. "No! They're following the river like you told them, but Asuma says they aren't getting anywhere. They didn't know about the lionesses. I came to Asuma as a cub, probably to protect me, and Zira was there, and..."

"That is crazy, Kovu, you didn't warn them." Natin's expression flitted between distress, frustration, and anger.

"Asuma made me tell him how to defend Tanga..." Kovu tried not to blink; every time he closed his eyes, visions of Asuma burying his teeth into Zira's flesh danced in his vision. He had been proud of his son, but was more fearful of him than before. _He _must_ have known how terrified I was to see Zira there_. He wondered if Zira had been correct when she'd hinted that part of his dreams had leaked over into Asuma's. _I hope what I taught him will transfer to reality. Everything is possible in dreams, but Asuma hasn't trained his body like I have._

"We'll be at Pride Rock by mid-morning. We'd be there right at dawn if you hadn't made me rest and eat."

There was a small pile of bones nearby. _You were ready to fall over._

Natin sat down. He sighed. "What am I gonna do with you?"

Kovu frowned. "I'm not lying, and I'm _not_ crazy. Asuma's going to tell Tanga to run, and he's going to face the lionesses."

Natin slowly shook his head. "Trying to outrun those lionesses is useless. I told you the Council didn't know what they were talking about with him."

Kovu ground his teeth. Natin's negative commentary was tiresome- always putting his son down. He'd already written Asuma off. It was so cruel! _The Council better know what they're talking about- otherwise... why'd they send me to Asuma? _He thought that Asuma himself realized this more than anybody else, and he wondered if his calculating son was _betting_ on that particular miracle.

"Might as well tell Kiara that they're dead."

"Asuma is going to tell Tanga to run to the jungle oasis."

"Yes, and with half the lionesses chasing her."

"We have to help them _now_! Asuma can't do it all by himself."

"No."

"They won't expect us-"

Natin's whole body shuddered in anger. "As _much_ as I'd like to save my cousins," he seethed, his voice shuddering, "I can't believe that your dream meant anything."

Kovu stood up and stomped his paw firmly. "But it did!"

"Stop acting crazy!"

"It! Did!"

Natin showed his teeth, and his voice cracked. "I know how powerful Asuma's dreams are, and c'mon- the Council brought me back to life! I didn't say I don't _want_ to believe you. I just realistically _can't_. They could be dead already! They could sneak up, while they were sleeping- Probably worse...!" He scowled, his eyes closing. "...My mother..."

Kovu opened his mouth, but stopped himself and blinked. Natin's stubbornness wasn't as heartless as he'd thought. He'd already been through this, and he'd stupidly, irresponsibly forgotten.

"Natin... I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. Maybe... it only was just a dream."

"Yeah... well..." his nephew turned his face away for a moment and opened his eyes again.

"Like you said, Natin..." Kovu said with a sigh, "we've got to trust that the Council is taking care of Asuma and Tanga."

"Yes..." Natin glanced at him furtively. "Time isn't on our side, is it?"

Kovu's shoulders sagged. "No."

Natin stood up. "Nothing we haven't dealt with before." He stretched his forelegs a bit. "You're not gonna run off behind my back, are ya?" His tone was almost joking, but the underlying threat in his voice reminded Kovu of his promise to follow Natin's orders.

"No... I won't go back on our deal," Kovu replied, though he could hear the sullen disappointment in his voice. "I just hope Asuma and Tanga will be alright."

Natin's mouth was a straight line, but the look in his observing, blue eyes showed that he agreed. He turned and led the way.

Kovu followed, his head down. Soon they were both running, but keeping a steady pace. Every leap forward was bringing them closer to an end.

~ ~ * * * ( ) * * * ~ ~

Natin hadn't known any better when he'd accused Asuma of neglecting Tanga. Natin had seen her suffer through her thorn-inflicted paw wound and her moral dilemma, and he had resented Asuma for putting her down and refusing to turn away from their mission to kill Kovu. But Asuma thought of his sister's well-being _constantly_. She genuinely cared, he thought, but at the same time, she was the _last_ one he could talk to about his problems. It wasn't because he'd been forbidden by his mother and Chaka to talk- oh, no- Tanga just wasn't wounded at all like him. He'd often resented that everyone had allowed her to live in a fantasy, but at least in her fantasy she was happy.

Because of her belief that forgiveness alone could fix everything, he saw the importance that his sister- the daughter of Kovu, the granddaughter of Zira, and the great-niece of Scar- be spared after her "reality" had come crashing down. Asuma thought she'd cease believing that there was a simple way for others to redeem themselves after he let her in... completely.

_Maybe she's meant to share my burden _because_ she followed us out into the wilderness-?_

_No..._ he answered his own question quickly.

If anything good came out of the huge mess Kovu had started, it would be Tanga's life. _She_ was the leader the Pride Lands needed, and the higher powers who believed otherwise were wrong.

Asuma's eyes fluttered open and he forced himself to wake up as quickly as possible. He'd slept heavily, and his body ached. He was on his paws.

"Tanga, you need to..."

He turned his head. Tanga was missing.

_Perfect!_

He wanted to call her name, but his throat clenched.

_Too dangerous._

Like before, he pawed where she'd been resting. The ground was cold. He growled. "Perfect..." he hissed. As he tried to calm down, he hoped the lionesses weren't already watching him. They'd laugh at his obvious panic. And he feared they'd already drug her off into the night.

Heart thundering, he turned his ear when he heard the soft rustle of grass. Jerking his head in that direction, he was relieved to see Tanga. She had another large hare in her jaws.

She dropped the hare. Her eyebrow arched slightly when he sighed through his nose. "I brought dinner."

He didn't know what he was expecting, maybe for her to see the terror and relief in his eyes, but she merely stood there staring back tiredly. He walked over to her. "Tanga, the lionesses are following us."

"_W-w-w-what?" _Her eyes widened. "H-how do you know that?"

Asuma fleetingly considered telling her that his information had come directly from Kovu and the Council, but that would be a mistake. She probably thought he was miserably unstable, and she did not believe that dead, ancient spirits were watching over them. He had to make this believable. "While you were away," he explained, "I saw someone. I think it was a scout because she ran away when she saw me looking, before I could investigate."

Tanga shivered and whispered, "What do they want with us?"

_A lioness leaps at Tanga's back, jerking her down to the ground so fast that Tanga's head and neck whip backward. There's a soft cloud of dust that rises skyward, as if her soul is already trying to escape. Fangs bared, Tanga swats at the face of the lioness so hard that fur flies, biting into the next one who gets close enough, but soon she's swarmed by five more, then by so many that she's covered by their weaponized, ugly bodies. She cries for mercy and curses them, but it's too-_

Asuma curled his lip and muttered, "They won't kill you."

Her eyes glazed over at the word 'kill'. "They'd do that because we ran away?"

He left out the part about them seeking revenge for Sauda. "Kovu betrayed them and they're the ones responsible for killing Vitani."

"Natin told me Kovu did-"

"He's responsible either way, but the point is that they brought _her_ down. Aunt Vitani!"

Her voice was tight. "They overwhelmed her..."

_Blood coats the ground. Tanga tries to get away, her pretty face mangled, but she only makes it a few lengths before she disappears beneath scruffy fur, flashing fangs, and piercing claws..._

Bile rose up into his throat. He'd expected her to start making plans to stand and fight, or to try outrunning the heathen lionesses together. "Tanga, I have a plan-"

A growl rumbled from Tanga's throat as she smacked away the dead hare. It rolled lamely a couple of times, its mouth lolled open. She sat down heavily and let out a frighteningly choked sob. "_What's_ the _point_!"

"_Shhh!"_ he hissed. He took a leaping step towards her. "I want you to run away," he started to explain before she could start rambling, "and I'll distract them."

She narrowed her eyes and squinted at him in the dark. "Me, run away? Distraction?" Her head tilted to the side, and there was a wrinkle on the bridge of her nose.

He nodded uneasily. She was acting so strangely. "We both stay, both of us die- but both of us don't have to die. I want you to live. I'll slow you down. I can't run. Every second they spend with me will give you another second to get away. You're wasting time now."

"What's the point of you dying for me?"

"So you can live, Tang-"

"No! Our lives are a waste-"

"No arguing." Asuma's chest hurt. She was making less sense than she was earlier, when she was talking about sharing blood with murderers. He lowered the volume of his voice. "Our lives do have worth, but your life's worth more than mine." He'd promised himself that he wouldn't confess to her- how many lines had he redrawn in the sand, calculating how much more information he gave her? Sadly, he thought her spirit was already deteriorating like his had years before. There wasn't much left for him to hide from her. "You've asked for me to let you in, so here it is: I'm glad the pride lied to you. You suffered less for it. I have nightmares where I want to kill Kovu, but I cannot bring myself to do so. I used Natin in hopes of killing him. I did not want to return home. I even left an old lion to die in a _hole_ when he begged for help because I wasn't strong enough to help him and I wanted to know what it was like to hold someone's life in my paws... and do nothing. I was willing to do all that if it meant... ultimately... you'd be alright. Because if Kovu leaves this land you'll be okay. Everything has been between just him and me and Simba."

Tanga gasped.

Keeping his voice as low as he could, he snapped, "Do me a favor, Tanga, and survive! That's all I've _ever_ wanted, you know that! For you to be what I can't be! For you to be blissful in ignorance!"

"No!

"Keep it down, Tanga!" He jumped at her and tried to clamp a paw over her muzzle. She resisted and nipped his paw, her eyes wild and terrified. She wrestled away from him with a hiss. They both jumped to their paws.

This time she kept her voice low. Her ears were flush against her skull. "I'm sick of being manipulated!" Her face was devoid of kindness and full of disgust.

His eyes stung now, and not all of it was from her bite. He knew she would make this difficult, so why did he feel surprised that she was acting this way? She was no longer the naïve princess who had run away from home on a whim. "I know, but you have to go. You have to run north." After a moment, he added, "The lioness headed south, I think. Maybe someone can help you."

"You left someone to die in a hole?" she asked, ignoring him. "You're lying. You're messed up, but you'd never do that. You're lying. You'd ask for my help."

"No, I am not lying." It was a desperate struggle to keep the tears at bay. He tried to cover the tremor in his voice with a cold snarl. "That's what I was doing, last night, while you went hunting."

She took an uncertain step away. "You'd never kill."

He stared back at her. "Fine," he said, taking a step towards her, "I lied. There's no old lion in a stinking, dark, cold hole."

_I wish I were lying!_

She tried to hold her ground, frustrating him further. "You're trying to scare me off? The lionesses are a lie, too, aren't they? I wasn't gone _that_ long."

"Yes." He lowered his head and forced his face to steady. "Get out of here, already."

Her expression did not change. "When you finally let me in, it's to chase me off."

_No! Just run away already!_

"Asuma, I don't understand you."

What he really wanted to do was grovel at her paws, begging her to-"

"I'll leave, but by my freewill. I was stupid to stick around for you, and I _tried _my best to help, but clearly you're beyond help." She looked away and glanced up, at the position of the moon, he assumed, and turned away as she said, "Waste your life like Natin, I don't care. It's your life, not mine. You'll never change."

_She's not moving fast enough!_

"Fine!" he shouted, cringing. "You are stupid! I like who I am!" He watched as she started to pick up the pace. His voice was shrill. "I'm glad Natin's dead! He was a coward!" His heart was pounding when she started running as fast as she could to get away from him. His knees were weak. "I hate_ you_!" he bellowed finally.

_Did I really imagine that this would be easy?_

He rubbed his face with his foreleg when he no longer wished to hold back his tears.

_She'll be safe._

He saw Tanga's dead hare. At first, it smiled ghoulishly at him, its dark, pit-like eye sockets squinting at him in mirth. He blinked and shook his head to clear his eyes, and it returned to its same pathetic condition. He grimaced. He had an idea, especially with the taunts he'd directed at Tanga still ringing in the air.

Picking up the hare, he let the sticky blood smear the front of his mane and forelegs. Blood speckled the ground as he took it to the river where he dropped it. After a moment, he ripped its stomach open, exposing the runny, red entrails that glistened in the moonlight.

_Don't gag... don't gag!_

He stuck his face into the poor creature's lukewarm blood, before smearing his paws and the ground with it. Carefully, he picked up the small body and tossed it in. It bobbed sadly in the dark water before it disappeared, carried away by the current.

_Hopefully those stupid lionesses will believe me even for a second when I say I killed Tanga..._

He didn't know why it had even struck him that the lionesses wouldn't strike immediately, but he had to try distracting them. Sighing heavily, Asuma tried to ignore the coppery scent of his face as he steeled himself. He walked back to the tree where they'd rested. He swiveled his ears and flinched at how quiet and still the early night was. At the base of the tree, he stood here, shifting from one paw to the other. There was nobody around yet. He looked up.

_Should I climb the tree? Jump down when they come? Will they know where to look?_

He shook his head. He shouldn't hide. And what would he do once he was down on the ground? They were going to kill him anyway.

_I can't hide._

Instead, Asuma sat down. His body was shaking, which wouldn't do. He laid down, which was better. The lionesses were coming for him, because he was the son of someone who'd killed one of their own. For a moment, he wondered if Kovu, who claimed to care for him so much, would hunt down the lionesses to avenge him.

_Such a great reason to die... even if they do kill him._

He kept his focus on the river. Kovu had said that they were following their trail. He hoped they weren't too far behind, or hadn't decided to stop for the night.

_Shit..._

He had to be strong. He couldn't wuss out. This wasn't a mistake. Tanga needed more time. She had to live.

He blinked, and suddenly the swaggering shapes a dozen or so lionesses came into focus. Bits of moonlight caught in their eyes. They were following the river, but when he thought they saw him, they left the river and headed towards him. Half of them started to jog, while the others kept up a lazy gait. They growled and chirped excitedly.

Asuma lifted his head high and crossed one paw over the other. Swallowing hard in preparation, he raised a paw and started to clean his face as nonchalantly as possible, even though his muscles were stiff and full of too much energy. The effect was immediate, to his surprise, and the lionesses did not swarm him. While they formed a ring around him that was full of curious whispers and looks, one of them giving a nervous laugh, he glanced up at the sky.

_You want me as some wonderful king of Pride Rock, hmmm? Well, then let's see if I can't survive this._

* * *

**[What are the ancestors up to? Why would Natin disregard Kovu's dream, while Asuma accepted it so easily? Will Chaka overcome his anger? What are the lionesses going to do with Asuma? Will Tanga be safe any time soon? Find out next time...**

**So, the next chapter still has a lot of work that needs to be done to it yet, so just a little warning about that. I have the ideas, just not the text. Also, I have a poll on my profile for some "story research", asking about your character preferences for this story. I would be very appreciative if you guys could go and answer that poll for me. :3]**


	38. Among Heathens

**[A/N: Cue dramatic music…]**

A short, nervous chuckle escaped one jittery lioness who made up the ring surrounding Asuma and the acacia tree. Eighteen pairs of eyes leered at him as they snorted heavily through their noses.

_Good... they're hesitating to bathe in my blood..._

A lioness with sharp, calm eyes and notches in both ears broke from the horde, walking in a delicate way that reminded him of a hunter's crouch. Her voice was calm. "Your sister. Where is she?"

"She's dead." Asuma's chin lifted. He forced a pleased smirk.

Several brows raised in amused disbelief.

"I couldn't tolerate her another second," Asuma continued, mimicking the irritatingly apathetic tone Natin had often used. "I threw her away in the riv...er..."

Grating laughter erupted all around him. Several lionesses slapped their large paws on the ground, while one or two rolled around, as if they were deflecting a swarm of bees.

_Laugh all you want..._ _It only helps Tanga escape._

Inwardly, Asuma curled his lips back to show his teeth- outwardly, he struggled to keep up a mask of callous indifference. He started to rub his paw and scarred foreleg over his face to clean away the hare blood. His old wild dog scars were all he had to show off to the lionesses. He hoped in the dark they'd notice them and the blood, but ignore his distasteful cub spots.

Not everybody laughed. The notch-earred lioness was unmoved to join in, and her neutral, sharp gaze had locked on him.

"Quiet!" she snapped at the others.

"But, Fola, it's hilar-"

"Quiet!"

The laughter quickly deflated from the group.

"Now..." the lioness addressed Asuma, "all we need is one of you. Where's Kovu?"

_They'd willingly hunt him for me, but I can't take them to the Pride Lands in the process, even if I knew the way_, Asuma reasoned. _They're bitter and furious, relentless... I wish I'd once thought of the consequences of leaving them behind... I made a mistake believing Natin and Kovu's prejudices when they claimed these lionesses were utterly stupid..._ Asuma peered harder at Fola. _At least she's not stupid._

"Why do you want him, too, if you only need one of us- oh!" Asuma made to look around, speaking in a lilting taunt. "Are you looking for us because he killed Sauda?" Asuma knew Fola was gaging his reaction to her question as he stretched his paws and extended his gunky toes. He scoffed, "Well, anyway... if I knew where he was, wouldn't you be talking to him instead of me? And... he would've stopped me from disposing of Tanga. He loves her to death!"

A few lionesses chuckled again. Fola's expression remained impassive and alert.

Asuma forced a chuckle. "He hasn't been around for days." He knew he was treading over unstable ground. Something he'd done while he'd been with the lionesses previously hadn't convinced them that he was a killer, despite his relation to Kovu, Natin, and Vitani. "Why d'you think I'm not with him? I'm the prince he wanted back on the throne, aren't I?"

"Clearly, you were schemin' behind our backs," Fola replied. Her voice had a faint hiss. She made a dismissive gesture with her head. "It's _your_ plight to fill us in."

Several of the lionesses growled and took steps forward.

"Now, oblige us..."

"Alright..." Somehow, Asuma's urge to keep going, to buy his sister more time, protected him against the terror that should've overwhelmed him.

_No point in lying... and no use in leaving out all the lovely details for them, either..._

Asuma began with Kovu's thoughtless betrayal to his family. Asuma detailed carefully how Kovu had wasted no energy in hiding the murders of both King Simba and their slain tormentor- Kovu's own mother. When Asuma started in on the part when he'd been at the mercy of wild dogs, when Chaka had jumped in and saved him, he was surprised to see how the lionesses' expressions grew more curious as they absorbed his tale. One after another, they sat down. Asuma then started in on the part when Natin had returned home, told his cousin the truth, and they had both pledged to kill Kovu, even if they never returned home. By then, everyone except Fola was sitting, completely enthralled. When he started to talk about how his sister had disapproved of everything they were doing, it surprised him to see that his dilemma had cultivated what he thought was sympathy in their eyes- for who, he could not tell. Natin's trampling only brought on more sympathy, but something else he couldn't grasp. He could only guess they were thinking about how they'd killed Vitani. There were several growls when he spoke of how Kovu had run off while Natin lie dying. When he spoke of the old lion he'd left to die in a hole, their expressions were almost entirely unreadable. He grew nervous, but kept going.

_Did everything that's coming out of my mouth really happen? Am I really telling all of this to _them_?_

Finally, he'd planned to detail Tanga's death as vividly as he could, but decided against it, not that he could bring himself to do so. He didn't need them breaking out into fits of laughter again. If they looked hard enough, they'd find the hare blood at the edge of the river.

"I silenced Tanga," he said simply. "I ended her complaints about how wrong I was. I don't know why she misunderstood me." He gripped the ground and tore into it with his claws. It wasn't hard to fake his outward emotions now. "How can I be wrong about killing someone who tried to kill me, and wants to kill my family? You _must_ understand, surely?" He glanced around. "How couldn't you?"

Fola, the only one still standing, remarked observantly, "You were lying here as if you expected us."

"Maybe." A grin slid up Asuma's face. "You do understand what my problem is." His sinister grin widened.

"Yes, entirely." Fola seemed to have a small smile on her lips, but it didn't reach her cold eyes. "You've no idea where Kovu is?"

_"Let them take you prisoner. Please! I'm going to the Pride Lands to get help!"_

Asuma shook his head. He had no delusions that Fola would offer to help take vengeance on his father, and he wasn't about to wander the desert with them, pretending he knew where Kovu was. They were out for his blood. That was it. The words rang from his mouth. "No. I don't."

_"If you stay alive long enough, I can get you help! I can get you home!"_

Fola nodded, then glanced at her pridesisters as they climbed to their paws by some small cue.

"I think we're just about finished here," Fola said, giving a tight-lipped smile.

Icy laughter came from the killers as Asuma stood up. Even though he knew that this was it, he could only think one thing:

_No, she needs more time!_

Eighteen lionesses grinned at him with their long fangs and advanced smoothly to tighten their trap. Blood ran from Asuma's face as he saw the tiny gaps between beasts shrink and vanish. Their radiating heat suffocated him. He snarled, unable to omit the nervous shrillness, and had barely side-stepped when the first lioness chomped down on his tail. Immediately, she jerked her head and threw him off balance, triggering a stabbing, throbbing pain that halted at the base of his skull. He spun to disengage her. While the first lioness used his own body against him, always staying out his range, another lioness darted in to nip the backs of both hind ankles. He grunted and swatted at the empty air. His frantic dancing to free his tail lessened her blows, but her next bite was more severe. Blood oozed from his deep leg wound. Forced to redistribute his weight onto three legs, he was exceedingly more awkward.

The flow of attackers thickened. They swarmed in competition to take their chunk of his flesh, but what chilled him was that the laughter had died away. He realized he hadn't heard them issue anything louder than an excited snarl. He tripped violently over his front paws after his broken tail was released, and he was flung closer to one lioness who slashed the side of his face. His eyes watered. Through his blurred sight, he saw another lioness's jaws unhinge like a snake's as she lunged.

_Remember what he showed you!_

Asuma's stomach leaped. He raised his right paw, smashing her in the jaw, deflecting her away from his neck. The rest of the group reacted, pulsing like one large monster. He was only able to dodge one bite, and it directly resulted in another lioness taking hold of a chunk of his mane with her jaws.

_She _needs_ more time!_ he screamed in his head as the lioness's teeth scissored into his mane. Asuma tucked his chin and bit down as hard as he could on the top of her head until she hollered and fell away like a tick.

_The tree!_

In the same instant, he bit into the shoulder of another lioness, released her, and wrenched his body towards the trunk of the acacia tree. He jumped up as far as he could, snagging his claws in the tree's rough bark. He'd reached the lowest, thorny branches when he realized a set of claws had lodged into one hip and his back. He grunted, jaw clenched so tight he thought he'd shatter his teeth. Her weight dragged her down the length of his hip and spine. Searing pain filled him.

_I'm slipping! I can't fight them on the ground! It can't be over yet!_

He swatted at the lioness with his busted tail, drawing from his waning inner strength to pull himself upwards. Forelegs shuddering in distress, both his weakened hind legs fought to find purchase on the bark. Once he was high enough to wedge the crook of one foreleg between a branch and the trunk of the tree, Asuma twisted and kicked at the dangling lioness's chest and throat until she released him. Panting, he climbed. He thought the lionesses would wait for him to climb higher before they followed him. Blood streaming down his face, he kept his eyes on the dark tangle of prickly branches and leaves above. Stretching his forelegs, he hoisted himself into the top most branches. Gasping for air, he looked down and saw that many of the branches below him glistened in the moonlight.

_They're coated in my blood..._

"...Won't last long up there."

Asuma blinked. The lionesses hadn't followed him after all, and instead were sitting at the base of the tree, smirking up at him. Several licked their wounds.

"I'm impressed he climbed that thing."

"More impressive if he hadn't treed himself."

One called up to him, "Hey, y'know, if you were tryin' to live, you just made the stupidest mistake ever!"

_No, I haven't._

He couldn't stop panting. His guts contracted, and his vision started to spin. He gagged. There was no spot on his body that didn't throb.

"By the end of the day, you'll either bleed out or die looking at that river!"

"You'll fall out of that tree like a newborn bird, and then blam! We gettcha! Hahahaha!"

Asuma closed his eyes. They intended on seeing him die.

_Good... If I'm here, all of you are here._

"I think he understands what he's done to himself," Fola remarked coolly.

Through the thin, green leaves, Asuma saw something in her eyes that he couldn't quite place. For certain, he now saw her as different from the others, who continued to make crude jokes about things being caught in trees and falling out of them. A moment passed when he wondered where these creatures had come from, what had made them so destructive in such an uncultured way. Quickly, however, he stopped caring to waste his energy on such things- unless, later, it would keep them occupied to ask... or keep his mind off the blood slipping from his wounds and the brewing thirst in his throat.

_But I'm sure by this time tomorrow I won't care either way..._

~ ~ * * * () * * * ~ ~

After Kiara left with Kenyi, Chaka didn't bother with the den, where it was warm and stifling. He sat for a while, practicing Tswane's meditation, but, quickly growing bored and irritated, he decided to try getting some sleep. He had to stop counting how many times he ordered his anxious mind and his body to relax.

Sometime before dawn, he opened his eye a sliver and groaned. He was partly on his back. His head lolled to the side, and he sensed that he was close to the ledge of Pride Rock, where he'd been presented to the Pride Lands as the new prince, and where Scar had nearly killed his father. He rolled away for safety, and rested a paw over his face to shut out the moon and starlight, but after a moment he sensed that he wasn't alone. He listened for a moment before he lifted his head and looked behind him.

"Tojo?"

"You sleep away from your pride?" Tojo asked quietly. He loomed over Chaka, directly between him and the den. The big lion stretched his paws for a moment before he laid down with a groan, a grimace, and a few pops of his old joints. "Are you keeping watch?"

"Yes." Chaka tensed instinctively- he knew Tojo was making it so that he couldn't easily run off, refusing to talk. However, this meeting starkly contrasted with the bickering match they'd had days before when Chaka had angrily demanded the king aid him with warriors against Kovu. Many choice insults had passed between them that day, and they rang in Chaka's ears.

_He doesn't even act like I called him a stuck-up piece of old carrion, or that he called me a spoiled brat. What did Kiara _do_ to convince him to help me with my messed-up head?_

"You aren't keeping watch."

Chaka remained on his belly, but sat up a bit straighter. "Excuse me? My pride just might be attacked at any moment."

Tojo blinked and placed one foreleg over the other. "You keep watch behind your eyelids?"

"Light sleeper. And I only have one working eye."

Tojo stared back, but a slow smile widened his muzzle and reached his blue eyes. "My mistake."

_"Tswane will keep helping you. And Tojo, too..."_

_ Yes, if I let them... I didn't even return tonight until after dinner had been eaten and Kiara was preparing to leave..._

"I was a light sleeper when I was younger," Tojo remarked. "I still am, but just for different reasons now." Several of his joints popped again.

"Uh... yeah," Chaka stammered, "I'll admit I don't sleep so great, either. Rather be productive than lying in the cave."

Tojo made a face- something between pity, irritation, and flinty benevolence. Chaka didn't understand the expression until Tojo explained, "You know, I expected to see that you ran this pride like a glorified machine... or at least that you'd have several lionesses doting upon you like a... a..."

"Spoiled brat," Chaka offered instantly.

Tojo made the face again. "If I ask you a direct question, it's your responsibility to tell me the truth... Un-der-stand?" His expression then grew darker, more similar to the one Chaka recalled when Tojo had told him 'no' over and over again. "I'm old. You're not. I won't waste my breath on you."

Chaka narrowed his eyes, trying to grasp the entirety of Kiara's efforts to help him get better. She'd appealed to this king somehow, and maybe she didn't even know how.

"Why_ are _you willing to waste some breath on me?" he asked Tojo. "It can't _just_ be because I'm your friend's kid."

"Well, why not?" Tojo shook his head in mock offense. "Not everybody lies about their intentions, Chaka."

Chaka ground his teeth for a moment. The crotchedy lion had a point. Chaka still didn't think it was the whole point.

Tojo glanced away for a moment. "I've seen what rage can do. I'm not unfamiliar to it myself." He met Chaka's gaze again. "There's a reason I never made an effort to return to the Pride Lands, and it wasn't because your father didn't want me here."

Immediately, Chaka knew this was what had swayed Tojo. The younger lion felt himself relax, sensing the start of a tale.

_I used to like those... I think..._

Tojo sighed. His sight became distant. "Scar destroyed the land- nobody could argue otherwise. He drove me from my homelands when I was too young to do anything but survive. I had to leave my family behind unprotected from _him_. He banished my friend Chumvi with me, and we went to the pride of our other friend, Malka. At night, we schemed how to get back at Scar. I always fell asleep with this intense hatred in my bones. It would've been worse had I known how blood-stained Scar's throne was. I probably would've taken real action. My anger didn't ebb until years after your father had returned, and I suspect it might be due to my age. I just don't care to mull over dead villains anymore. Mulling also takes time away from those you love.

"It hurt your father more to lose you," Tojo continued, "than it did to lose Mufasa; Simba was responsible for your life." Tojo paused, weighing his words carefully. "After he thought Zira had killed you, he grew paranoid. And when Nala got on with your sister, it worsened. Of course, he never told me this himself- it was how he behaved. It didn't bother me any when he ruthlessly exiled half his pride, and told me they were living on the border in the desert. He told me to be wary of them in case they decided to 'attack me and my children'. I tried asking your mother what was the matter, but for one I was too busy at home and whenever we were face-to-face, Simba lingered close. I felt he did this purposely, so I made my visits shorter, less frequent. I was mistaken to do so."

"What'd you think when he fully accepted Kovu into the pride?"

Tojo flexed one of his paws thoughtfully and flipped his tail. "I was a bit confused, but once Simba explained why he thought Kovu had changed, and that he was willing to forgive the rogue, I didn't question him, and thought he'd finally gotten some peace, since he'd bothered to tell me himself instead of hiding things. Simba did the same with Malka, Chumvi, Kula, and Tama."

Chaka frowned and glanced down at his paws. "I've met them. Haven't left much of an impression on them, either."

"Enough about bad impressions for now," Tojo said briskly. "Four seasons ago, your mother paid me a visit and told me what you all thought happened to Simba. As of late, your information on Kovu is shaky at best. Now, tell me what you think happened to make Kovu jump from loving father to serial killer seemingly in the span of a few weeks."

"Can't reason out the actions of the insane, Tojo," Chaka asserted. "Kovu said my father was like a father to him, and that he was trying to prove something to him. Kovu said he wanted to protect the members of our pride by lying. He told Kiara that our father had some made-up issues about trust and forgiveness. He tried to make _me_ feel guilty for not being home to protect my own father from _him._" He fell silent.

"Chaka?"

Chaka growled quietly as he let out a long breath. "When I heard that that snake had killed my father, I went ballistic." He remembered trying to get a good shot at Kovu's throat, and he remembered clawing Kovu's unprotected belly. "My face was caked in blood... his with mine. I took his tail, he took my eye."

Tojo allowed him a moment to himself, but Chaka could've festered in his anger for the rest of the morning if he'd allowed it. "Chaka... Nala told me that your father had had nightmares about Kovu months before the murder happened."

Chaka waved a paw, shaking his head. "She mentioned that once or twice- but so what? That's an _excuse_ to murder someone?"

"No. That's not how she saw it."

"How else can you see it? Kovu's destiny from day one was to-"

"She saw," Tojo spoke over him, "that Simba's dreams disturbed him- not in a way in which he was scared Kovu would harm him. No, Simba's mind was clinging to the past, and he desperately wanted to forget and move on. The things Kovu claimed may suggest what went on between them during the last moments they had in this life together. Maybe Kovu felt that Simba betrayed him."

Chaka couldn't swallow Tojo's theory that Kovu's ramblings had been more sane than insane. He couldn't imagine that monster looking up to Simba as a father figure. How could one creature cause so much damage to so many lives, and then blame others? Chaka was reminded of the old king in the pride he had once belonged to. The king hadn't hesitated to order cubs much too young to join battle training, and had several of his advisors executed for speaking too boldly- or too rationally. Once, it was rumored that the mad king had taken one of his favorite lionesses up to the cliff where they'd spent many of their intimate moments. The king's guards had found him in a state after he'd failed to come down from the cliff that night. The king sobbed that the lioness had fallen by accident, but the guards suspected otherwise, especially later when another guard who was in charge of helping the king's lionesses had been called forth and executed under flimsy accusations of plotting to form a rebellion against the king.

Tojo's voice was reasonable. "At least consider what I've said." The elder stood up and yawned widely. The stars and the moon were drifting sleepily behind the horizon, and the dark sky was beginning to turn a sickly pink in the east. "Go into your den. You might find it comforting enough to find some much-needed sleep."

Chaka huffed in exasperation. Normally, he slept so pitifully that he was up at first light and gone out on patrol. Tojo was ordering him to bed like a small cub.

"I can't force you do what you don't want to," Tojo warned, yawning again, "but isn't that partly why I am here?"

Chaka rolled his eyes, but he couldn't suppress a smirk. The more Tojo yawned, the more tired he felt, and the more he warmed to the idea of hiding in the dark den.

"I know you didn't sleep well tonight," Tojo remarked. "Just go in. I know you want to."

Chaka smiled wryly at the older lion. "Again... Why're you helping me? I'll do nothing to make your task easy. I'll tell you that now."

Tojo watched, eyes half-hooded, as Chaka stood up. "Maybe I hate seeing others struggle to convince themselves that they don't need help, or think they want help for other reasons."

"You've got a lot of work ahead of you if you want me to think less with my anger and more with reason."

Tojo chuckled and yawned again. "You'll find I have ways of tricking others into doing things."

Chaka smiled genuinely, but only because Tojo's back was to him. "Never would've guessed that."

~ ~ * * * () * * * ~ ~

The sun erupted over the horizon at the east, casting a long shadow at Tanga's side. Her mouth and nose were dry, and her head was pounding. She didn't know exactly where she was going, but she knew what she was running from.

_"I'll leave, but by my freewill. I was stupid to stick around for you, and I tried my best to help, but clearly you're beyond help... Waste your life like Natin, I don't care. It's your life, not mine. You'll never change..."_

_ "Fine! You are stupid! I like who I am! I'm glad Natin's dead! He was a coward! I hate you!"_

If she lived, Tanga vowed she'd never allow anyone to manipulate her again. She also made up her mind that she'd stop resorting to manipulating others, too. She hadn't fully understood what she'd done when she'd suggested the crazy hunting plan to Natin and Asuma, or had tried to guilt both Natin and Asuma into changing, but she now knew such tactics had been desperate, futile, and wrong. She _had_ to grow up, and accept that not everybody was good at their core, and that others could be just as stubborn as her.

But, although it was no longer possible, part of her wanted to retreat to a time when she'd been ignorant to all the unpleasant things around her. At least then, she'd felt love for her family and had felt loved by them. Everything had seemed so peaceful. The juvenile, silly lioness now tucked away somewhere in her beat up heart just wanted to be somewhere safe and loving. She needed to rest, recover. That would help her to consider everything that had happened since she'd run away from home.

Running in long bursts now, Tanga had tried to make it further north, but once or twice she'd needed to stop to rest and cry self-pityingly. She'd considered turning around and going back, and had taken a few steps in the direction she'd come, but had forced herself to stop.

_Asuma doesn't really need me if he resorts to chasing me away with his outrageous lies._

She had no more tears to cry, but her chest continued to ache, as if she were already mourning her brother- not the brother she'd abandoned, but the brother she'd curled up with as a small cub, played with, and sympathized with when she'd seen what her family was doing and heard all the terrible things their father had done to him. Her brother... the thought of never seeing him again twisted her stomach into knots. She choked on a sob, but there were still no tears.

_I don't understand... why'd he refuse help? Why was it so hard for him to just open his stubborn mouth? I could've handled it. Instead, he resorted to trickery so he could continue hunting Father... I don't know who's worse... Father hunting son, or son hunting father..._

She slowed her pace to a brisk walk.

_Maybe what he does need is to kill Father?_

She shivered.

_But what then? Will I ever see him again? If I see him again, will it really be _him _even? Oh... what am I even thinking..._

The Pride Lands seemed to be a breeding ground for turmoil. Brother pitted against brother, attempted murders of one prince after another... Why? Why? Was she herself doomed to continue the cycle of hatred that had poisoned the Pride Lands for all too many generations? Would she one day become like that, or give life to a cub that would be tempted and eventually consumed by a darkness that seemed to permeate the blood of its family?

Overcoming obstacles was something her family was good at. They were strong-willed, but she couldn't help but feel that there was something worse on the horizon. She couldn't explain it. Kovu wasn't just gonna disappear forever, her brother wasn't gonna stop thinking about him even after he somehow managed to kill their father. And then there was the pride...

_Will anyone come out unscathed?_

Tanga lifted her head as a fresh, herby scent hit her nose. Squinting through the waves of early morning heat rising off the land, she thought she saw a green mass. If not for the smell of flowers and water, she would've believed she was imagining things.

_Maybe it's Timon and Pumbaa's oasis? But... what are the chances that Asuma had sent me in that direction..._

Sighing, Tanga plunged forward. With every step she took, the green grew more pronounced, beckoning her. She wasn't going to die out in the desert, her family never knowing what had happened to her. By the time she reached the fringe of the jungle, she was panting hard. She kept running, crashing through the green plants that whipped her legs. The damp ground squished between her toes. In the canopy, birds shrieked. She heard the calls of other animals that she had never heard before. The further she advanced into the forest, the thicker and hotter the air became. Light-headed, she stumbled over an exposed root and fell into a bush with a sharp crash. She cried out and growled in irritation.

"If it's not Asuma, Father, or Natin beating up my insides, it's plants beating up my body!" she growled as she crawled from the bush. She laid out on her side, trying to still her breathing. She blinked in the spot of light that fell over her face and dappled her body in shadows. Where the shadows fell, she could feel the coolness. After lying there and calming herself down, she stood up once more. She was unafraid of getting lost- where was she supposed to go otherwise? Back to the desert? Here there was plenty of food, places to hide, and-

_Water!_

A small waterfall fed a large spring. At the bank, she sniffed at the clean, clear water. She'd never seen such beautiful water. In comparison, it made the watering hole in the Pride Lands come off as stagnant. After she was sure there was nothing treacherous swimming around, she stepped in and soaked her fur. She paddled around for a while before she flipped over on her back and tried to float, but without much success. She was glad there was nobody around to see her flounder around, choke, and snort the water in her throat and nose. Face burning, she returned to the shore. After the coughing fit had subsided, she drank her fill.

_I could stay here a few days... then maybe find someone who knows the way to the Pride Lands... No, no... I... I need to get home sooner rather than later._ _I've got to tell Mother what's happened, and probably apologize for running away in the first place._

Groaning, she decided to rest for the morning before she went hunting. Her joints were stiff now that she wasn't pushing herself to run as fast as she was capable of. Soon enough, she found a small clearing that was headed by a large tree with exposed roots that made a shape that seemed to make a perfect nest. Getting comfortable, she curled up with her ears alert and eyes wide open.

_No telling what lives here..._

She closed her eyes briefly and sighed. She then opened her eyes half-way. The oasis was remarkably beautiful, and it was so peaceful. Soon, silent tears were running from her eyes. She couldn't stop thinking of all the things she had to tell her pride, things that would make them very upset.

_Not to mention that they'll have to fess up to all the things they hid so carefully from me..._

She shook her head in disappointment, anger, and exhaustion.

_No... the best thing you can do right now is get some rest,_ she told herself. _You had all night, and now the rest of your life to analyze the details for all they're worth. Just rest for now..._

She closed her eyes and sighed again.

_Just rest..._

~ ~ * * * () * * * ~ ~

_Alright... maybe I don't remember the exact way to the oasis..._

Golden, shimmering sun rays chased away the chill of brisk, night air. In the distance, vivid reds and purples tinted the sky. The lifting of darkness uncovered unfamiliar scenery, and a faint dawn mist obscured trees and bushes. Each tree seemed to be a copy of the next.

Kiara swung her head from side to side, anxious not to waste time. She stopped walking and turned to Kenyi with his father's bird on his shoulder.

"Could Bron do a quick survey?" she asked. Her eyes traveled from Kenyi's neutral face to the small, blue bird. "Could you see, Bron, if the trees are getting thinner in any direction? We're headed for a desert soon."

"Notta problem, Miss," the bird chirped. He stretched his wings and neck for a moment. He then jumped down from his prince's shoulder and landed briefly on the ground before taking flight, quickly becoming a small speck in the sky.

"He'll get us there," Kenyi remarked, nose titled to the sky. In the sunlight, he squinted his blue eyes.

"Was it your father's idea to bring him?"

He shook his head. "Mine..." A quick, dubious look crossed his face, and for the first time, he laughed a bit. "I dreamed of flying birds last night."

Kiara tilted her head. "Flying birds?"

Kenyi's smile was modest. "Yeah." He shrugged. "There were just two of them, up in a sky, circling."

"Maybe your shaman knows what she's talking about?" Kiara offered, trying to keep a joking tone. She sensed Kenyi's apprehension to fill such a role. "Life has a way of... pushing you in the right direction," she added, "whether we have other expectations or not."

"Maybe," Kenyi replied smoothly.

As the sunlight grew stronger, Kiara and Kenyi took the opportunity to groom themselves and stretch their tired limbs. Kiara's stomach growled ravenously, and the younger lion took notice with a brief glance and a slight smirk. If they were still wandering when the sun made it to its apex, they would stop to eat.

_I hope Tojo's on to something with his idea about Timon and Pumbaa..._

Flapping wings broke into Kiara thoughts. She looked up as Bron perched atop of Kenyi's head.

"W'keep in the same direction, w'should b'fine." The bird then made a pointing gesture. "'Notta thing, miss, but we barely missed runnin' inta two rogues... The'be headed that away fast."

The bird pointed in the general direction of the Pride Lands, making Kiara uneasy. "You don't think they're..."

"I hope the'aren't, miss queen. No worries... M'king an' Chaka can handle it."

Kiara turned to her young escort. "Kenyi, what do you think?"

"Bron's right." He shrugged. "And everybody needs to be somewhere, in a hurry or otherwise."

_Doesn't quite put me at ease, but I'm thankful we avoided the rogues._

"Well... speaking of being somewhere," Kiara said, "we need to get to the oasis, and soon." She began to walk, but paused when she realized Kenyi was hesitating. She turned, and noticed the blank look on his young face, as if he were lost in thought. She quietly called his name.

Kenyi seemed to snap out of it. "I had a thought for a moment," Kenyi explained, his tone slightly frustrated.

Curious, Kiara narrowed her eyes. "Oh?"

"I lost it." Kenyi glanced at the horizon once more before he caught up with her. A slight look of defeat filled his eyes.

It was then she realized his attention had been in the direction of the two travelers. The irksome feeling from the night before flowed over her. "Maybe... We should go back home..."

"What?" Kenyi frowned. "No... I just- No, Kiara, don't read into it, please." He glanced to the side. "You should carry out my father's request for your brother's sake. Ignore me."

Kiara lowered her ears. _Should I ignore him and my own intuition?_

"I have these little half-formed thoughts sometimes," Kenyi spoke rapidly. "They lead to nothing." He lowered his chin slightly and directed his gaze to the bird on his head. "Right, Bron?"

Bron bobbed his head agreeably and sympathetically.

_Bron is right... Chaka, Tojo, and all the lionesses can handle things... And I can't run home just because I have a strange feeling..._

"Alright, then..." Frowning, too, Kiara reluctantly turned on her paws. "Let's go."

_But, I wish I knew what's bothering me..._

~ ~ * * * () * * * ~ ~

"Natin?"

His nephew blinked slowly and turned his head. "Huh?"

"We should slow down. You can't keep up this pace."

Natin scowled. Without too much trouble, they'd traveled through the night, and had made it to the border of the Pride Lands. "It's your son's life- How am I supposed to help you help him if you keep making me stop? Pride Rock is _right_ there." The younger lion jabbed his muzzle at the small, stone monument in the distance that Kovu had to squint to see. The mid-morning sun had already cast it in gold.

"You look like you're about to fall over again," Kovu remarked. They were perched on a hill, and had arrived a bit earlier than they'd estimated, after Natin had set a hard pace.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

_You're not very convincing with that shake in your voice._ Kovu also saw how the young lion's pelt and muscles sagged on his vulnerable frame.

"Assume Chaka's patrolling," Natin said, "so stay alert. I think we should go see Tswane first. He's the last creature Asuma and I saw before we left."

_It's as good a plan as any..._

Kovu lowered his eyes. "What should I say to Kiara? When we finally see her?"

Natin made a face. "I dunno... maybe just don't blurt out your apology the first moment you see her. There's more important things we've gotta do first, and at least for me, actions speak louder than words."

_"Your lies... Your words are meaningless..."_

Kovu cringed as Asuma's cruel words whispered in his mind.

Natin looked around and started loping down the small hill. "And stop wasting energy on asking how I am. This is my job, regardless of what condition I am in. I could be worse off. Just remember that."

Kovu frowned, rolling his eyes, but said nothing and ran after Natin. He had been quiet through the night, only following and thinking about the dream he'd had. The sunlight was a strong golden color when Kovu spoke up again, apparently catching Natin off guard.

"Now what did you say?" Natin looked over his shoulder.

Kovu averted his gaze for a moment. He repeated, "Asuma failed the Council's test... the one they used to measure how much compassion he has left. I think he knew he was being set up because he knew almost immediately what I was talking about."

"The Council didn't send Asuma to you. You're just thinking wishfully."

"I'm not asking you to believe in my dream," Kovu said firmly. "It's just..." He growled. "Something bothers me about it all."

With Natin's silence, Kovu sensed his nephew didn't know what to reply.

"So pretend for a moment that it wasn't just a nightmare," Kovu tried to ask in his most persuasive voice.

"Sure... I guess."

Kovu struggled to figure out a starting point. "Asuma... Asuma- He was furious that I was in his dream, which I can't blame him for. I did feel like an intruder. I don't know if we were sharing the same dream, or if I'd been implanted into his dream."

"That makes no sense, Kovu."

"Now that I think about it... I don't know why the Council sent me to him that way," Kovu continued. "They_ said_ specifically that they couldn't mess with Asuma's dreams- Before, well, I thought they'd figured out a clever loophole. By sending me as their messenger, I could warn him about Fola and the others."

"Those wise ancestors really want him as their king, huh?" Natin quipped. Kovu heard the bitterness in his voice, but couldn't place the other feelings that he sensed was there. Natin looked uneasy.

Kovu narrowed his eyes. "If it makes you feel any better, Asuma knows I fear him and believes I think of him as a pathetic, shivering cub. He was insulted when I said I cared about him. He told me himself that nobody deserves him as a king... and when he asked why the Council wants him... I didn't have an answer. Either way, he seemed resigned to die for Tanga's sake so she could get away from-"

Natin started to laugh. It sounded hollow and dark.

Shocked, Kovu growled. "What is it now?"

"Asuma wouldn't give up his life unless it guaranteed you'd die, too. Now I know it was just a wishful nightmare. Your subconscious believes in him a little bit too much."

Kovu's lips curled back. He didn't know how much more taunting he could take from Natin; his patience was waning.

_Somebody has to believe in Asuma, and it should be his own father. I've had one too many fail to believe in me... though I can see why..._

After that, Kovu didn't press his dream as he jogged behind Natin. The bigger Pride Rock grew, the slower they were forced to travel, and the more cautious Natin became. They didn't know whose eyes were watching for them, and even a bird or small burrowing creature could betray them before they were ready to make their presence known to the Pridelanders, and most importantly to Kiara.

"Get down!"

The sudden hiss caught Kovu off guard. When Natin ducked down, he didn't expect Natin to also stick out his paw to trip him. Kovu tumbled into the tall grass.

"Chaka," Natin spat. He was panting and his eyes were clear, but confused. "There's someone with Chaka, too- some big lion with gold fur and a brown mane."

_What?!_

Kovu frowned and glared at Natin. "Is this something else you lied to me about in your report, and then forgot to explain?"

Natin shook his head. "No, it's not. Maybe the other guy's here because they knew you were planning to attack the Pride Lands. Must be out on border patrol together so Chaka's not caught out all by his lonesome."

"Maybe." Kovu cocked his ears before he slowly lifted his head above the grass. The two lions were talking, but they hadn't noticed anything amiss. Kovu ducked back down. "I think the other lion is old King Tojo, but I'm not sure. He doesn't have one of his blue birds with him."

Natin raised a brow. He breathed, "Birds?"

"Simba said Tojo cared for a few of them when he was a cub, and he's kept a few as majordomos ever since."

Natin pulled a face and made a dismissive gesture with his shoulders. "Well... if the guy can care for birds as a cub, then there might be hope for us just yet." He then jerked his head. "C'mon, we need to make it to Tswane's tree."

Natin slunk past him, and Kovu followed. Belly crawling would get old fast, but it was better than being found out by two _much_ bigger lions.

"Y'know..." Natin said after a while. "If Asuma... well... if your dream really did mean anything... If Asuma doesn't believe he's worthy, it's gonna take a lot of convincing to get him to take on the role that the Council thinks he should have..."

A chill ran though Kovu. "That doesn't sound like it lives up to their 'no screwing with freewill' policy."

"My point exact-"

A startled bird sprang up from its nest. Natin issued several muffled growls as it pecked his face and cried at the top of its lungs. Natin fought the bird off feebly as it attacked his eyes.

Kovu noticed one of Natin's paws was coated in fresh egg shell and yolk. As Natin batted at the bird, Kovu lunged forward and smacked it to the ground. He crushed it beneath his weight to silence it before he ended its life by wounding its neck. The wriggling, broken body of the bird beneath his paws made Kovu shudder.

The damage was already done. Kovu and Natin heard the horrifying sound of two big bodies crashing through grass. Natin dared to look up, and without even seeing if Kovu followed, he took off. Kovu didn't need to be told, however. His stomach turned. He jumped to his paws, exposing himself to Chaka and Tojo. Immediately, he heard a furious roar as he propelled himself forward to Natin's side.

"Kovu!" Chaka hollered.

_I'm the only one who knows what has become of Asuma and Tanga... I can't get caught! I can't! Run! Run!_

"Tswane's our only hope!" Natin gasped. "And it's a long shot!"

**[A/N: I foresee in my crystal ball… lots of homework from my professors this quarter… I have Technical Writing, Non-Fiction Writing, and Grammar. On the plus side, the next chapter is completely drafted… but is in need of heavy editing. I tried bolting out this chapter and the next in a couple sittings, while normally I nit-pick and take forever to get through one scene after another. Editing, however, still takes about a week at best. -_- I promise I'll do my best to remedy this cliffhanger!]**


	39. Humility

**A/N: Here, have an update on the day after Cinco de Mayo!**

* * *

Chaka spun around, the distressed bird's shrill cry piercing his ears.

More leisurely, Tojo paused at Chaka's flank and quirked an eyebrow. Tojo had tagged along for the morning patrol, and now both lions were determined to return to Pride Rock before the sun could scald their hides. He remarked, "What a set of lungs, huh?"

"Yes." Uneasily, Chaka scanned the tall grass for the source of the squawking. He relaxed slightly when he laid eye on a floundering, angry bird that was beating its wings and striking at something hidden in the grass. Beginning to turn away, Chaka called over the bird's cries, "Snake probably just came too close to its nest and-"

He blinked.

_ What the...?_

While in mid-motion to turn away from the surely unfortunate scene, he had caught in his peripheral vision a dark-furred paw reaching out of the grass to swat at the vicious bird. The paw wasn't terribly large, but Chaka knew it could not... did not... belong to a hyena or a wild dog.

Then the paw vanished and the bird fell silent.

Tojo flinched.

Chaka growled.

_I have to check it out... just in case… _

"Chaka," Tojo began, "hold on a moment…" The old lion's tone changed then from calming to emphatic. "Stop-"

Chaka was walking towards the uninterrupted, but diminished, shifting of grass when the dark face of a young lion peeked over the grass line. "Natin..." Coldly and absently, the name emerged from Chaka's throat and hit the back of his teeth.

"-Chaka! Stay cal-"

A guttural growl shook Chaka's throat. He started to jog towards Natin, his heart fluttering beneath his ribs like the angry bird he had seen moments before. He guessed it had been killed.

_No... this can't be... I have to stop him-_

Then, Chaka's eyes widened. His stride faltered for half a second.

"_KOVU!"_ he shouted.

"_Stop! _Chaka!"

A trail of dust met Tojo's futile warnings, his words drowned out by Chaka's furious roar. A switch flipped in Chaka's head and his vision tunneled. The second Natin, and then Kovu, blew their cover, Chaka lunged after them, his claws stabbing into the earth. The motion jarred his bones.

_Coward! His back is totally exposed! My paws are aching- no, itching! I can feel his flesh giving way beneath my claws like an over-ripe fruit... I can already taste Kovu's dried blood in my fur._

Chaka crashed through the tall grass, his mane becoming flaked with broken blades. Breathing hard, his whole body flushed with anger. His heartbeat was now in his ears- one rapid _thud thud thud_ for every step he took.

_ I've never sensed so much fear roll off one creature, not even from a hare!_ _I knew this day would come! Kovu, you're mine!_ _You're not gonna hurt my family this time! _ _Creep, you die here! You die today! With that ragged breathing, it's only a matter of seconds before I catch you!_

Then, Natin started shouting. With exaggerated leaps, Chaka gained ground on the hapless pair.

"Help! Help!"

_He thinks someone is going to save them?_

"Help Tswane! Tswane!" Natin roared at the top of his lungs, which was impressive considering the break-neck pace that he had set. "Tswane!"

_Idiot, what're you doing?_

Suddenly, when Chaka was two leaps away from Kovu, who was trying to run and make himself smaller at the same time, the criminal pair abruptly separated and took off in opposite directions.

_Woah!_

Chaka leaped and awkwardly bounced off Tswane's tree to avoid a disastrous collision with the sturdy form. He landed in the short, choppy grass, shaken, but more determined to catch the killer of his father. His muscles burned as he looked around for Kovu. Furious, he realized now that Kovu and Natin had split up to circle the big tree. Flattening his ears into his mane, Chaka stalked around the tree in the direction that Kovu had-

"Ooof!"

In a heartbeat, a surprise-attack headbutt to Chaka's chest winded him, the impact causing him to come to a solid stop. He sucked in a gulp of air. Recovering his wits with a rush of adrenaline and side-stepping after receiving a blow to his shoulder, Chaka rebounded and rammed his whole body, shoulder first, into his nearby attacker's flank. The dark-furred monster, blinded by his own dark mane, tripped over his paws like a drunk and yelled something, but Chaka didn't understand. Bent on getting at the growling lion's throat, Chaka raised his paw to the momentarily vulnerable target. He pressed his attack home, smacking the lion upside the head. The target sank to the grass like a rock in water.

_Too easy!_

Triumphantly, Chaka jumped on the stunned, pinched-faced rogue and used his forepaws to pin the lion on his back. He then lowered his head and went for Kovu's throat, scrunching his eyes tight to protect his good eye. Brutally, Chaka bit down, but opened his eye and realized he'd bitten into the foreleg that had been raised to fend off his life-ending bite.

_No!_

Enraged, Chaka shook his head from side to side. Flesh tore. Hot blood gushed over his fangs and spilled out at the corners of his mouth. There was screaming. Claws dug frantically into his flesh. His victim's free paw reached up and shoved hard against Chaka's chin in a struggled to stop the torture, but Chaka's jaws locked and he bared down, preparing to go for Kovu's throat again.

_This is it! Push! Slash! Destroy him!_

Suddenly, something hard cracked across Chaka's back and shoulders. There was a dull flash of pain, but he ignored it. In the next instant, the same hard force struck him once across his forehead, over his ear, and over the bridge of his nose. The fifth strike hit the back of his head. His sight blurred.

_Wha...?_

Chaka's pin and jaws loosened just enough for the lion beneath him to shove Chaka with his hind legs. Feebly, Chaka staggered to the side and fell against something hard with a grunt. His paws slid out beneath him.

The bones in his face burning, Chaka heard one muffled voice ask a question.

"I'm all right," he thought he heard a breathless Natin answer. "He was gonna kill me!"

Chaka blinked hard. His vision swam. Then, someone cast their shadow over his face. Chaka's body tensed, and he issued a low hiss in warning.

_No! I'm vulnerable!_

"Chaka?" The voice sounded far away, but he knew it was Tswane's. "Say something if you can hear me." The shaman gently patted a warm paw against the side of Chaka's face where he'd been hit. Thick fingers pressed into the tender flesh.

Grimacing and sniffing back the small stream of blood coming from one nostril, Chaka wasn't able to focus enough to speak. Instead, he looked for his enemies, who were sitting several lengths away from him. Kovu was helping Natin to sit up. Given how fast they'd been running, both were panting hard, but Natin alone was shuddering painfully, holding his bloodied foreleg out as if he were afraid to let his paw touch the ground.

_Wait... I thought... No, I attacked Kovu... didn't I? Didn't I? How...?_

Dizzy-headed, Chaka furrowed his brow and sat up. His anger and reality slowly locked in.

_Tswane!_

Causing the shaman to pull his paw back sharply, Chaka bellowed, "You... You were protecting them, Tswane? Why? You've got no right to interfere-!"

"No!" Tswane quickly flipped his staff so the butt end pointed at Chaka's throat.

The lion backed up against his tree, his good eye open wide.

With both paws, Tswane gripped the staff as he bared his surprisingly long fangs. "I had to interfere! Open your eyes!" Tswane sputtered, his eyes wild, "Chak- You- your temper- Did you literally forget everything you've learned so far? Really? _Really? _You cannot act on your first instincts!"

Chaka's lips curled back over his teeth in resentment. He spat, "I was attacked fir-!"

"In self-defense! Didn't you hear Natin calling for help?" Tswane stomped one of his hind paws, causing the decorations on his staff to clatter. "Damnit, Chaka! Just once, I _wish_ you'd use your head! What would your mother think?"

"No! I-!"

What would his mother think of him, ruffled fur smeared in Natin's blood?

Growling in frustration, Chaka clenched his paws. His lips tightened. Insolently, he rubbed his bloody muzzle against his shoulder. No! How dare Tswane bring up his mother? Conscious of Natin and Kovu's aghast stares, he glared hard in disgust at the spot directly between himself and the shaman where the younger lion's blood had stained the grass. His breathing was still too rushed, and his throat ached. There was a sharp pain in his belly, and he closed his eyes.

_I attacked Natin. Not Kovu._

Basically, if he hadn't been so angry, he could've gotten his attack right.

"_Chaka_, look at me when I'm talking to you!"

With some hesitation, Chaka sneered up at Tswane through his ruffled mane.

_Yeah, I guess I am pretty clueless._.. he thought bitterly.

When the pounding of large paws hitting the ground filled Chaka's ears, he turned his head and saw Tojo skid to a stop, gasping for breath. Chaka quickly averted his eyes, but he knew Tojo was glaring at him.

_ "I'm old. You're not. I won't waste my breath on you..."_

Tojo's words hit Chaka, making him light-headed- immediately his shocking rage went from a boil to a simmer. Dismayingly, Chaka's cheeks flushed hot.

"What damage... 's he done?"

Tswane answered Tojo. "Natin and Kovu made it to the tree. Chaka chased after Kovu, but Natin came around and he took Chaka's attack. I kept Kovu from joining the fight. I can mend Natin's shredded foreleg, and Chaka's minor wounds. Overall," Tswane said, standing up to his full height, "it could've been far worse." With this, he then carefully checked the tendrils on his staff.

While Tojo took a moment to get his breath back, Chaka's mind clouded with panic. _What am I going to say? What _can_ I say? _

Tojo cleared his throat to get Chaka's attention.

_Great kings... _Slowly, the pridelander prince forced himself to look up at the king, who now towered over Chaka.

"You were not kidding when you told me you weren't going to make my task easy," he exclaimed, a muscle in his jaw twitching. The lion's head was erect and his mouth was set in a hard line. His eyes were dark and narrowed. "You do only act. Now what if Kovu's horde of lionesses had been hiding in the grass, too? They would've overwhelmed me- left you helpless! What if these two had led you into an ambush? You would've been at an immediate disadvantage. You could've left your pride without warning them of the danger. You could've deprived them of a leader."

Chaka took in Tojo's scolding before he could no longer look at the elder's face and switched to Tswane's, which was still equally unfriendly. Chaka wanted desperately to argue, but the words of his two mentors cluttered his thoughts. Chaka turned his head, spat out Natin's blood, and again glared down at the ground, unable to meet the eyes of neither Tojo nor Tswane.

_I never fail to disappoint someone..._

Chaka thought he saw Tojo's lip curl. The king then turned to address Natin and Kovu. "What's your business here? Well? Why did you run here, and not turn and face us?"

Natin answered for the both of them. "We're here to get help for Tanga and Asuma," he croaked, his face lined with pain and exhaustion. "They're lost and in immediate danger. And _must_ I explain why we ran here?" He shot a nasty scowl at Chaka.

The look wasn't wasted on Chaka, who bared his teeth.

Tojo whipped his tail. "What danger?"

At this, Natin turned to Kovu, as if expecting his nefarious uncle to answer.

Chaka ground his teeth and growled, encouraging Kovu to speak faster.

Kovu swallowed guiltily. "My children," he began, "are in danger of being killed by a group of lionesses I gathered to take back the Pride Lands and take revenge on my family..." Kovu's shoulders slumped and he frowned at Natin. "I suppose all of you already know about them if Tojo knows."

"Yes,we know all about them." Tswane then rubbed the side of his head. "Why're the lionesses after the prince and princess?"

_Look at how he lowers his ears... pathetic. What a poor way to bring about sympathy..._

"It's a long story, but in short... Natin, Asuma, Tanga, and I tried to leave them behind. I made the mistake of killing their stupid leader when she got in the way, and... It is a long story."

Tojo and Tswane looked at each other, as if they didn't believe a word that the rogue had spoken.

_I certainly don't..._

Kovu tried to sit up straighter, but his body sunk back into a hunched pose, as if all his guilt were weighing him down. His green eyes darted from Tojo to Tswane imploringly. "Please, just give me the time to explain- but... most of all, Natin and I need help finding Tanga and Asuma. Natin's idea was to come here for help, rather than take on over a dozen, blood-thirsty lionesses alone. Could I talk to Ki-"

"She's not here," Chaka spat, his body shuddering in disgust. "Shoulda just gone after those lionesses yourself. Save me the trouble of killing you."

Kovu's eyes widened.

Was the rogue really so scandalized by what he'd said? Chaka smirked, waiting for Kovu to shoot back some stupid, barbed remark. Kovu's nature didn't allow him to take a taunt like that. And then Tojo and Tswane would see what Kovu really was.

_Well...?_

Chaka's disappointment grew the longer he waited. In surprise, he realized Kovu _wasn't_ going to say anything. Everybody just stood in silence, staring at Chaka. Tojo and Tswane still wore their disapproving expressions- Tojo's was more cool, while Tswane's was more anxious.

_Why isn't Kovu reacting?_

He couldn't take their stares. Chaka's ears lowered and his face flushed hot again as his anger melted away and left his blood saturated with embarrassment. He dropped his gaze to his tense paws.

_I acted just like they hoped I wouldn't... and I could have gotten someone beside Kovu killed! I should be used to feeling ashamed by now… but I'm not. I'm so stupid! Now Tojo's probably gonna leave!_ _I don't understand! Does this mean there's no helping me? Am I such a monster that I'm only good at one thing? Violence?_

Finally, Chaka stood up on unsteady legs with an irritated grimace. "You two believe what they're saying? _Really_?" he asked, looking sharply at Tswane. Scorn and disbelief stained his words. "How can you? They're known liars! He _admitted_ to murdering someone!"

Tswane's expression grew stern. "We don't know the details, but their behavior for the time being has convinced me that there is more to hear." He then added, "They've come to my tree, where they surely knew they'd be captured, instead of running until they evaded you."

Chaka narrowed his eyes. "Who's to say Asuma and Tanga aren't already dead?"

Tswane's grip on his staff tightened. "Nobody's to say. But I remind you that when Asuma and Natin left, they promised to kill Kovu. I believed them." He then looked over at Natin. "Natin protected Kovu today. I think that says a lot." The shaman raised a brow and smirked, causing Natin to curiously turn his face away from everybody.

Chaka's scowl deepened. "Or else he's been working for Kovu this whole time, and he's just trying to gain your trust."

Tswane stared back levelly at the frustrated lion. "In that case, they should've come up with a less stupid plan."

Chaka rolled his eyes. "What do you want me to do with them, then?" The lumps on his face were beginning to swell, but his nose had stopped bleeding. "Obviously I can't execute them."

Tojo frowned and said diplomatically, "You take them prisoner, Chaka, and you allow them to explain themselves."

"We don't have time to become prisoners," Natin blurted. "Tanga and Asuma need... help..." The young lion's voice died on his tongue with one cold glare from Tojo.

"We'll do anything," Kovu said quickly.

Chaka loathed the idea of letting Kovu continue to suck in breath after breath... but somehow Tojo and Tswane thought it wiser to take Natin and Kovu alive.

_But, be honest with yourself... you don't stop to think._

Tojo stood up a little straighter, but spoke in a more coaxing voice. He said, "If Natin and Kovu show us their 'true' colors, Chaka, it will be our fault for having too much faith in them." He then looked over his shoulder at the pair in question. "They will be executed on the spot."

Kovu brightened a bit. "Thanks for this chance, Toj-"

Tojo growled. "Don't. Just prove me right."

With such a gesture on Tojo's part, Chaka realized he had no choice but to choke down his pride and consent. Rolling his eyes, he spat, "_Fine_, I'll take them prisoner." He smirked at Kovu in particular. "I know where they can stay at Pride Rock until we find out the _truth_." He looked from Tojo, whose frown had disappeared, to Tswane. The shaman seemed to relax again, especially when Chaka tried to make himself look as apologetic as possible. He was cooperating, right? When Chaka tried to smile, however, both Tojo and Tswane gave him an unnerved grimace. Immediately, Chaka gave up the smile and looked away.

_All right... too soon for that. Great Kings, you two _better_ know what you're doing._

* * *

"Anythin' interestin' up there, boss?"

Standing erect with his paws dangling in front of his chest, Timon shook his head. He looked down at the young meerkat who had come to take over as sentry. "Not a thing." The aging meerkat relaxed his pose and rubbed his lower back as the cheerful new sentry climbed up onto the old, fallen, moss-and-mushroom-covered tree where Timon was perched.

"Good." The meerkat chuckled. He rubbed his paws together to clean off some bits of moisture-softened bark and dirt. "Nothin' good ever comes from anythin' interesting." He elbowed Timon in the side jokingly. "Am I right? Huh? The last thing we need are some 'interesting' snakes or leopards rampaging through here."

Timon shrugged his shoulders, unable to commit to an answer. The statement was true enough, but that was the exact reason Timon rarely agreed to sentry duty. Few tasks could make him sulk from pure boredom. He tried to laugh as he rubbed the tender spot where the youngster had elbowed him. "Ah-ha... Well, I guess I'll leave you to it then, keeping us safe from those rampaging snakes and leopards."

Released from sentry duty, Timon quickly climbed down from the stump. _I wonder where Pumbaa is..._

"Alright, boss, have a fantastic day!"

Life usually went smoothly in the large meerkat colony. Because they were among the oldest members of the group, both Timon and Pumbaa were often called upon to help out- some days there were a few minor things to take care of like sentry duty, while other days tasks ranged from working out disputes between bickering individuals to repairing minor damage to weak tunnels. Other days, they visited families with new kits, or joined in on discussions of safety when some predators decided to linger around too closely. Thankfully, today was shaping up to be peaceful, slow, sunny-

"Timon! Timon!"

The meerkat turned at the cry and yelped when Pumbaa knocked him to the ground.

"Timon, I remembered!" Pumbaa's large snout was stretched into a wide, giddy grin. "Timon, I'm so excited! Oooh, I remembered where that good spot was, the one I told you about with the big grubs I found a few days ago but forgot! I told you about it before, remember?"

"Yes, yes." Still on the ground, Timon patted Pumbaa's nose.

"Let's go before I forget again!" Pumbaa backed off a step and offered one of his tusks to Timon to help him stand up.

"Well, there's not much goin' on here today, buddy, so I don't see why not." Timon's joints snapped as he stroked his lower back. Pumbaa dipped down and Timon climbed his graying mane until he was perched on top of the warthog's head. "When have we had a more peaceful day than today, Pumbaa?"

"Hmmm... I don't know... Boy, I can't even remember what I did yesterday."

"You slept for most of the day. That's probably why you don't remember much."

"Oh..."

"Well," Timon went on, "we got up early to make up for it."

"Maybe I should get up earlier every day. I feel like I can remember things better."

"Hey, speaking of remembering, we should probably start heading over to that grub spot right now before you forget where it is again."

"Alright!" Pumbaa started off into the jungle, away from the slow activity of the odd meerkat colony.

After a while, Timon remarked, "You know what I've been thinkin'?"

"What?"

"In a few days, we should make a trip to the Pride Lands. I can't complain about the slow pace here, now that we're old and all... but it's sooo_ boring_!"

"That would be nice," Pumbaa replied in a nostalgic tone. Then, a small whimpering sound chased his words. "I miss the old days..."

Timon sighed. He patted Pumbaa's head through his bristly mane. "Don't we both know it... Home seems sooo... so..."

"Devoid? Morbid? Depressing? Spoiled?"

"Nah..." Timon rolled over so he was on his back with his paws behind his head. He looked up into the green leaves above their heads. A colorful bird hopped from one branch to another before it flew away. "Home is... so..."

"Awful? Bereft?"

"No... home seems so..." Timon pulled a paw out from behind his head and waved it, rolling his wrist as he struggled to come up with the right word.

"Forsaken? Incomplete?"

"No... Pumbaa, the Pride Lands seem so... sad. Yeah, that's it!"

"Oh."

Timon rolled over again and rested his elbows in Pumbaa's mane. His small front paws supported his chin. "How're we comin' on finding that grub spot, pal?"

"Oh, I think it's just right over here, Timon," Pumbaa replied cheerily. He then headed to the right, pushing his way through a big-leafed bush. On the other side was a clearing, and the warthog twisted his head around in confusion. Pumbaa gave a small huff.

"Huh..."

_Oh, geez..._

"Pumbaa! This is the old spot where we used to sleep when Simba was around!" Exasperated, the meerkat leaped down from his friend's back. "You just took a different route. This isn't where the grub spot is, is it?" Timon rubbed the back of his skull. He started to rub harder with his fingers when he thought he felt a bald spot.

"No..." Pumbaa whimpered again and sat down in a slouch. "I'm sorry, Timon, I thought I had it this time..."

Timon sighed and patted him on the shoulder. "It's okay, buddy... you'll remember it someday, I know you wi-"

Pumbaa had been blocking Timon's view of their old nest in the roots of a big tree. When Timon had heard a small groan, he'd moved to get a better look. His jaw dropped when he realized there was someone big sleeping in the nest. Pumbaa looked, too, and was about to cry out when Timon pressed his paws against his snout and mouth.

"Shhh, Pumbaa... we can't run like we used to," Timon whispered. He dropped his paws from Pumbaa's snout and started creeping backwards. "If we're quiet enough, we might just make it out of this alive."

_I can't tell what it is..._ Timon squinted at the grey-furred intruder. Whatever it was, it appeared to be fast asleep with its back to them.

"Oh, _nooo_... Timon?"

Timon's wide gaze darted to Pumbaa, who had stopped walking and had a scrunched up look about him.

_Oh, geez!_

"Don't you dare pass gas, Pumbaa," Timon hissed as calmly as he could. "At least not loudly. Think silent but deadly!"

Pumbaa whined, "I'm trying..."

At that moment, the intruder stirred and rolled over. Timon immediately knew it was a lion, and that the 'it' was a 'she'. Two, tired, unfocused green eyes peered at them.

_Wait a minute..._

Timon did a double take. "Tanga?" he blurted. He relaxed slightly, but was still half-prepared to bolt from the clearing, his arms out to his sides with his elbows bent.

_How'd she get all the way out here?_

For a fraction of a second, recognition relieved some of the tiredness on Tanga's worn face. The rims of her eyes were red, and her cheeks were smeared with grime. She opened her mouth, but her words took a backseat to the fat tears that rolled down her cheeks. Embarrassed, she hid her face in her paws.

"Oh, Tanga... Are you okay?" Pumbaa crooned. He started to stand, but immediately had to sit back down when a small, dismaying squeak sounded from his behind.

"Uh... Pumbaa, why don't you take care of your business over there," Timon said, stunned. He pointed off in some random direction. "I'll... I'll find out what happened..."

_What's been goin' on in the Pride Lands since we've been gone...?_

* * *

"Ugh! How long do we haveta wait?"

"They'll be back soon."

"I shoulda gone with 'em. Sitting here's boring. I feel useless!"

"Your complaining is useless!"

"Shut up!"

"Hey, I actually wanna eat. You hunt like a cub, scaring everything too soon!"

Eavesdropping on the thinned-out horde of lionesses, Asuma's muscles softened.

_They're off hunting... Good. Good, they're just hunting some food... Tanga isn't in danger..._

"My huntin' skills're fine!"

"You're living in a fantasy if you think they're fine! How're you still alive?"

Shifting his stiff limbs with a groan, Asuma struggled to tune out the lionesses's stupid babbling. He'd opened his eyes when the sun had risen, and had lazily gazed down at his restless captors, only to discover, to his horror, that some were missing. It was bad enough that images of them attacking Tanga had haunted him the entire night, mingled in with the face of the old rogue, the broken body of Natin, and the cowering cub form of Kovu. He had draped his heavy body over a thicker branch in the acacia tree once he had realized the lionesses were not going to climb up and attack him. His belly and ribs hurt from resting along the hard, nobby branch. His superficial, itchy, scratches had crusted over, but the large wounds, like the ones on his back, were still oozing- streams of blood streaked his sore ribs and hips. Big, black flies buzzed around his head and darted at his eyes and nose. He only had the strength to blink them away, and he cringed as their little feet scampered over his eyelids and the bridge of his nose. Feverish and sleep-deprived, he had tried to rest. If he was going to hold on, he couldn't afford to do much else. Why hadn't he bothered to at least take a bite of the hare that Tanga had brought him? He couldn't blink away the sight of its sad body disappearing into the river.

_Oh... the river..._

A chill coursed through his body. At all costs, he had to avoid looking at the river... thinking about it... imagining the cool water coating his tongue and pooling over his teeth before slipping down his scorched throat... He could hardly stand hearing and smelling it on the faint breeze. Occasionally, a lioness would disappear and return with her muzzle wet. He knew, as the day progressed and the heat rose, that his situation would only grow more dire. The leaves shading him provided the greatest relief- the downside was that the tree itself shaded the lionesses, too.

"Hey, yo, smelly!" one of the lionesses suddenly catcalled. "Don't piss on us anymore today, will ya?" Laughter and remarks that he better hold his other forms of waste ensued.

Asuma's face flushed with anger and humiliation. He had tried to hold it, but had failed. He hoped they choked on their laughter.

He knew he had very little right to complain. Through nobody's decisions but his own, he was in that tree. He'd climbed the tree instead of letting the lionesses kill him. The irony of his situation almost brought him to laughter and tears. He wasn't stuck in a hole, but he was still just as stranded as the decrepit, crotchedy lion he'd left behind. Unless someone came to save him, his only escape was death.

_Not to mention that that lion was somehow sent by your ancestors to test how pathetic you are_. _What kind of beings do something like that? What kind of beings let Kovu intrude upon my dreams? Were they trying to trick me into being good? Don't they understand what I need to do most?_

There was no mistaking that Asuma's poor, beaten soul was sick. Pinpointing the exact moment when its condition had first started to deteriorate was useless. He could guess, but he would probably be wrong. There were too many moments, he thought, and that didn't even account for the original condition it had been in when he'd been born. He only wished he hadn't been so quick to seize upon his own misfortunes, and that he'd been stronger about brushing off his misfortunes and moving on. Others seemed to do it just fine...

_Well, maybe with the exception of Chaka and Kovu..._

Instead, he had desperately and spitefully held onto every painful memory, for fear of repeating the same mistakes over and over again. Gloom and surliness seemed to cling to his heart, feeding off and growing on his bad, bitter blood, nursing like some mutant cub. Unfalteringly, he knew who he was now.

_I'm no king..._

What really made his stomach clench was remembering the last, hurt, suspicious expression he'd seen on Tanga's face before she had turned to run away. There had been no other way to make her leave, and the worst part was that she hadn't really left on her own freewill as she had wished. He wondered how long she'd been questioning his sanity- he guessed shortly after he and Natin had let her in on their plan of murder.

_It would've only been natural. I've questioned my sanity for much longer than that._

Asuma rested his chin over the foreleg he had resting along the branch. His reckless thoughts began to try and come up with something to comfort him, anything at all... He wouldn't make it much longer if he kept torturing himself. He didn't need another reason to jump from the tree. He started to think back to when he'd had no doubts, had had no reason to believe that anybody meant him harm, and before he had learned that the ability to cause pain and destruction was more powerful than any gesture of kindness...

_"Tanga, what's out there?"_

_ His sister lifted her head, looked back at him, and grinned. This grin had already been established as her 'mischievous' grin. She'd been sniffing the stone outside their den at Pride Rock before she'd spotted something, toddled closer, and had crouched down over it. That early in the morning, everybody else was still sleeping soundly._

_ "Shush, Asuma," Tanga replied in a loud whisper. "C'mere, look what I found!"_

_ Asuma furrowed his brow and sat up. He'd been resting with his head against their mother's warm face. She gave a deep sigh, but didn't wake up as he carefully stood up and tip-toed over to Tanga._

_ "Cool, huh?" Tanga murmured, her body blocking what she was batting at. She jumped back, but then crept forward again in curiosity._

_ Cocking his head to the side, Asuma laid eyes on a strange, caramel-colored... thing. He'd wanted to call it a bug, but it didn't look like any bug he'd ever seen. "What's that?"_

_ "I dunno, but it's fun." Tanga teased it again with her paw. "Look at its tail! It's so silly!"_

_ Asuma giggled. Why would a creature try to defend itself with its tail? He batted at it, too, and jumped back when the creature lunged. That's when he noticed that its chunky front legs were actually claws- it pinched at the air above their paws. Its bony tail flicked towards them again. "Do you think Timon and Pumbaa eat these things?" he asked._

_ Tanga shrugged. "I dunno. Hey, stay here," Tanga piped. "I wanna show that thing to Natin!"_

_ "Okay," Asuma said, lowering his ears. He felt a little jealous since Natin always had to be included. "He'll think it's cool," he added._

_ Tanga beamed and darted back for the den. Asuma followed her with his eyes._

_ Asuma turned his attention back to the creature and jumped out of the way as it flipped its tail at one of his paws. He didn't know what the creature was doing, but he had a strange feeling that he shouldn't let the tail touch him. Asuma circled the creature several times, watching as the creature turned its body to follow him._

_ Behind Asuma, he'd heard paw steps, and had assumed Tanga was returning with Natin. Kovu's voice instead called to him._

_ "Asuma, what are you doing?"_

_ "Dad, look! We found this thing!" Asuma turned around and saw his father staring intently at the creature as it crawled over the stony ground. Behind his father, Tanga and Natin were just emerging from the den. They paused at the entrance, looking confused._

_ "What is it? Do you kn- ahhh!"_

_ Kovu lunged forward towards Asuma, who stumbled backwards and yelped. Kovu clapped his paw hard over the creature, and then twisted his paw back and forth. When he lifted his paw, a juicy, brown, twitching puddle had replaced the creature. Kovu then smeared this sticky mess on his paw pads onto the stone where the creature had been walking._

_ Asuma's mouth dropped open in horror. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the dead creature._

_ "Asuma, that was a scorpion. They can kill someone like you."_

_ "A scorpion?" Asuma looked up, wide-eyed. The stern expression on Kovu's face caused his eyes to mist. His face warmed. _Am I in trouble? _he thought._

_ "If you ever see one again," his father told him sharply, "get away from it." He frowned. "Did it sting you? Scorpions are poisonous."_

_ "What?" he squeaked. Asuma's neck ached from having to look up at his father. "No, it-it didn't, Dad!"_

_ Kovu's frown melted slightly. "Are you sure, Asuma? Did it sting Tanga?"_

_ "No! It-it didn't!"_

_ Before Asuma could brace himself, his father sat down, wrapped Asuma up in his paws, and roughly nuzzled his son's much smaller head. "Good, I'm glad you're safe... You scared me."_

With a jolt, Asuma opened his dry, stinging eyes, and realized that they were trying to produce tears his body didn't have. Either way, he knew tears would only attract more flies to his face. The ones crawling over his wounds were bad enough, and he could only imagine what they were doing. He shivered, shoving the memory away.

_Why ever did I pick that memory?_

When he unwittingly glanced down, he suppressed a groan. The lionesses had returned from hunting and were loudly gulping down the meat from a gazelle they'd caught. He could smell the fresh blood over the stale blood on his own body, and he started to salivate.

_Stop looking at that! You're making things worse on yourself._

Below, two of the lionesses guessed that he was looking at them, and a snicker ran though the group. They weren't going to make this easy on him one bit.

Asuma closed his eyes again.

_Why would they be obligated to?_

* * *

"How far now?"

"Not too far, I think."

While Bron flew overhead to take in the scenery, Kiara and Kenyi loitered just outside of the jungle oasis. The midday sun shone off of sleek green leaves and small white flowers. A couple of blue butterflies ventured into the dry heat of the desert before retreating back into the humid jungle. Merely standing outside of the oasis was a relief for the travelers.

_I hope Timon and Pumbaa will be able to deal with the heat all right._

Kiara shifted on her raw paws. "There's a big meerkat colony here, and they'll be looking for predators." She wriggled her toes to free the sand between them, and sighed when she had little success.

Just after the young lion gave a small nod of recognition, Bron reappeared and landed on his prince's head.

"The jungle's too dense f'me t'see much. Sorry."

Kiara pursed her mouth, unsurprised. "That's okay, it's nothing we can't deal with." She nodded to Kenyi. "C'mon."

She led the scouting party into the jungle. Fallen sticks cracked beneath her paws while she brushed past leafy fronds, making the leaves jostle and spring back into place with a muffled clatter. Drops of water from the leaves deposited on her fur.

"Shouldn't we be quieter?"

She glanced back over her shoulder. "Well, a silent predator is more threatening than a noisy one," she explained, "right?"

"I suppose."

The deeper they traveled, the harder Kiara tried to concentrate. She tried to scan the soft ground for small tracks while she flared her nostrils to try catching the scent of a large group of small animals. At one point, she smiled when one bird trilled a quick tune overhead that was soon transformed into a pleasant song by a few more birds.

"That's ratha lovely," Bron remarked.

"Yes, it is." Kiara hesitated mid-step for a moment to enjoy the music, but then realized, unfortunately, that she couldn't hear over the song of the birds and other creatures who had joined in. Her smile was reduced to an irritated frown.

"Do you know where they are at all?" Kenyi probed with an insolent tone.

Kiara furrowed her brow and turned to Kenyi, frowning disapprovingly. "Kenyi, we haven't been here that long. Be patient." Hearing how hoarse her voice sounded, she cleared her throat. "Are you thirsty?"

Kenyi's surly, tired expression relaxed a bit. "Yes."

They hadn't gone more than a few lengths before they found a large puddle at the base of a tree. Lapping up the tepid water, Kiara watched as Bron hopped down from Kenyi's head and sipped from the surface. Once the two lions had finished, Bron splashed in the water for a moment to clean his feathers.

Kiara licked her muzzle dry. _I'm_ _afraid all we are doing is nothing but getting ourselves lo-_

"Predators! _Pred-a-tors!"_

Kiara head snapped up, her chin pointing towards the leaf canopy. She thought she saw one or two small, brown flashes jump through the branches overhead.

"Lions lions lions _lions_! Predators!"

Bron huffed. "M'thinks they've been sufficiently warned."

Kiara sighed. "They're warning their village, or whatever you wanna call it. They can't be far away, then."

_Thank goodness..._

They traveled carefully through the bushes and around trees. Soon enough, they found an empty clearing littered with small holes. Kiara held out a foreleg to bar Kenyi from walking any further. She didn't want to damage any of the carefully crafted tunnels that were beneath the shorn grass of the jungle clearing.

"Bron," Kiara said quietly, "do you think you can find someone to talk to and tell them that Queen Kiara of the Pride Lands wants to talk to Timon or Pumbaa?"

"I will try m'best." The bird lightly dropped from Kenyi's head and hopped across the perforated ground, zig-zagging between the holes. He dipped his head into several holes, calling out for assistance. After about ten holes, a small brown head popped up out of one of the holes and spoke with Bron for a moment. Satisfied by what the bird had to say, the meerkat disappeared for a moment before he crawled out of the hole and turned to Kiara and Kenyi. Several other meerkats appeared and analyzed the situation to decide if it was safe to return above ground or not. Bron then came fluttering back just as half a dozen meerkats dashed off into the jungle, splitting up into two groups.

"He says th'two went off earlier t'gether, but haven't r'turned, miss. They're goin' after 'em."

"They must just be off hunting or something." It was no surprise, considering how Timon and Pumbaa had been outcasts for much of their lives. Kiara noticed how the meerkats stuck close to their tunnels and shot irritated glances at her and Kenyi. Undoubtedly, her father's surrogate parents' ability to transcend the line between prey and predator did not go unnoticed.

"Why are there meerkats here? In a jungle?" Kenyi asked.

Kiara sat down and tried to smile kindly, not wanting her exhaustion to get the better of her. "It's a long story... probably for another day, I'm sorry."

Kenyi shrugged. At the edge of the clearing, there was a burst of activity that caught his attention, and Kiara turned her head. The six meerkats had returned, between them was a grey-furred meerkat, who then hurriedly crossed the clearing towards Kiara. Two of the younger meerkats followed behind Timon.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here, Kiara!" Timon gushed as he bent over to catch his breath, his paws on his knees. "Tanga's here, and- wait, why are _you_ here? Did something bad happened at Pride-"

Kiara gasped, wide-eyed. "My daughter's here? _Where?" _She jumped to her paws, never imagining her luck to have this happen. She would tell Timon later why she had come to the oasis. "Show me where she is, Timon! Is she safe? She ran away from home with Asuma and Natin!"

"Calm down a moment." Timon raised a confused brow in alarm and held up his paws while the other two meerkats back-stepped rapidly. "I think the kid's been through a-"

"Timon!" Kiara's muscles buzzed with energy. "Take me to her."

_He hasn't said a word about Asuma... Did Tanga tell him about Natin or Kovu?_

Kiara's throat tightened. "Take me to her now!"

Timon's eyes widened. "All right, c'mon, she's this way. We don't really know what she's been up to," Timon remarked as he started to skirt the clearing, "but you've gotta know why... Don'tcha?"

"No... I don't know much..." Kiara relented sadly as she followed Timon. The two younger meerkats tried to follow, too, but Timon took a moment to tell them to stay behind at the settlement. Timon took off again as quickly as he could. In her mind, Kiara urged him to run faster, but at the same time, she knew she had to prepare herself for the worst.

_Where is Asuma? Natin? Kovu? Are they dead? Is Tanga hurt? Did the mission succeed? Did it fail? What has she seen? I wish they hadn't run away! Why didn't Natin just tell us everything instead of lying?!_

By the time Kiara entered the clearing where Pumbaa was sitting beside the tree root nest that held Tanga, she'd asked herself those questions a hundred times. She quickly saw that her young, fragile looking daughter had been crying. Instantly, Kiara's heart melted and she wanted to move forward- but something stopped her at the edge of the clearing. A wall might as well have erected itself in front of her.

Tanga met her mother's eyes, and relief did not fill them. She didn't cry out for her mother, or rush over to her like she'd done when Natin had wrestled too rough with her as a young cub. Far from it. No, Tanga remained where she was as the sadness in her green eyes was replaced by anger and betrayal. Kiara was so sure of it that it make her sick to her stomach. To her horror, she recognized it as the same look she'd seen in Kovu's eyes years back.

_I can't be here right now... something is deeply wrong... and it's all my fault..._

Timon didn't seem to take notice. Why should he? "Pumbaa," he panted, "and I tried to feed her... but..."

Frozen, Kiara couldn't turn her eyes away from Tanga even when the young lioness averted her green eyes and began to study Kenyi with a more familiar curiosity. Absently, Kiara remarked, "Lions don't eat bugs." She then turned to Kenyi, who stood next to her. "Could you look her over while I hunt something for her?"

_I can't be here right now!_

"Uh... okay?" Kenyi blinked, slightly confused. "I've only picked up a thing or two from my-"

Kiara turned on her heels and plunged noisily back into the bushes, not waiting for him to commit to the task.

Her face burned with embarrassment. She was furious with herself for running away like a coward.

_But I can't be there for her right now, and clearly she didn't want me there, either._

A sob choked her as she continued to run.

_ Chaka was right... I should have told them both the truth..._

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I was doing good getting updates to you every month for a while there, but I struggled the most with Chaka's section, since it's a turning point for him for the most part. It's easier to write him in action from the POV of others than it is from his own POV. :) I'd say updates are going to get better from here, but I have lots of homework and I'm taking courses this summer. :B On the other hand, I'm estimating that this story will run to 44 or 45 chapters.**


	40. All Things Considering

**A/N: Have I ever told you guys how patient you are? :3 Here's a big fat update!**

* * *

Letting go of the breath she'd unknowingly held in, Tanga tried to blink away the angry shock that had come over her when her mother had so suddenly appeared... and then disappeared. When Pumbaa glanced in her direction, she asked hoarsely, "Where'd my mother go? She just got here, didn't she?"

Pumbaa lowered his ears and stood up. Brows arched, he shifted fretfully on his hooves. "Uhh… gee, Tanga, I dunno…" he mused worriedly. "Maybe she went to get you something to eat?"

"Maybe." Tanga pursed her mouth dubiously. _But I don't think that's the whole reason she left so quickly…_ She turned her head to hide a frown of disappointment. When several meerkats had shown up to say that Queen Kiara needed to speak with Timon and Pumbaa, Tanga's tangled feelings had gone from some-what relaxed and fatigued to irritated and anxious in two heartbeats.

_Why is she here? How'd she know where to find me? Did she know I was here? What are we going to say? What _can_ I say? How will I explain everything that's happened since I ran away? Is she angry with me? Disappointed?_

The one thing Tanga hadn't imagined, while her mind had flitted from one scenario to another, was that her mother would turn tail and run away. Though it wasn't what she'd really wanted, she'd at least expected her mother to run up to her and embrace her and to tell her she was finally safe.

Tanga narrowed her eyes in thought.

_Was there fear in her eyes?_

"She did leave to hunt for you."

Tanga flinched in surprise and looked up at the young lion who'd appeared with her mother. Perched on his golden-furred shoulder was a blue bird. Behind the lion, who couldn't have been much younger than Tanga herself, she could see Timon. The grey-furred meerkat stood at the other end of the clearing with his back to everyone, scratching his head in confusion, staring at the spot where Kiara had disappeared.

_At least I'm not the only one who was caught off guard._

She heard the young lion say something, but she didn't catch all of it. "Excuse me?"

He glanced away, an awkward look in his blue eyes. "She told me to make sure you aren't hurt. I'm kind of a shaman in training."

Grunting softly as he spoke, Tanga pushed herself to sit up. "I'm not hurt, I'm just tired."

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Her muscles were even stiffer than they'd been before she'd laid down to rest, but physical pain was far from her primary concern. She thought if she gave someone the time treat her body, it would just take that much longer before she got the opportunity to get some answers and explain what had happened. As she rolled her shoulders to loosen them up, Pumbaa frowned worriedly at her. Ignoring him, she asked, "Who are you?"

"Kenyi. King Tojo's son. I'm escorting your mother."

Tanga cocked her head to the side. "Why?" She then shook her head. "Why are you here?"

Kenyi quickly gestured at Pumbaa with his eyes. "My father wants to speak with Simba's... er... parents. Your mother and I are to escort them to the Pride Lands."

_That's not odd at all..._

"My father is helping Chaka with his... temper," Kenyi elaborated, even though by his tone it sounded like a side note. He then turned to Pumbaa, as if noticing him for the first time. "My father wants you to help him help Chaka."

Tanga raised a brow. Her uncle wasn't somebody to openly show his happiness or excitement, but she wouldn't have described him as having a 'temper'... or at least was what she thought until she remembered how he'd barreled out of the den at Pride Rock the day her father had first disappeared. She also recalled how Asuma had described Chaka's brutal attack on the wild dogs he'd saved him from years back.

_Were the signs really so obvious? Or were the circumstances just not right, as they are now?_

Pumbaa was nodding enthusiastically when Timon wandered over. The meerkat exclaimed, "Great! ...Planning on visiting the Pride Lands... We'd love to help our boy out!"

Tanga half-listened as she mulled over this information, which probably complicated things even further. _I don't understand how I could've been so blind... Chaka's anger must be another thing they hid from me... Like how Asuma hid his hatred... It's still hard to believe..._

Even though she insisted she didn't need the attention, Kenyi spent little time looking her over, probably just so he could tell her mother he'd done as she'd told him. Tanga was mostly covered in bruises, and nothing much more than a few cuts and scrapes. She knew someone as brief and impassive as Kenyi could do nothing for her invisible wounds- the very wounds that hurt the most and would take the longest to heal. Not long after Kenyi's inspection, however, the leaves at the end of the clearing rustled and her mother reappeared. There was a large rat in her jaws.

Although Tanga was relieved to see her mother, she had to look away to hide any bit of frustration on her face that might betray her inner emotions before she was ready to explain herself. She'd started to suspect that was the reason why her mother had fled in the first place. Feeling slightly guilty, out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mother approach her. Kenyi, Timon, and Pumbaa stepped back as the honey-furred lioness carefully deposited the rat at Tanga's paws.

_I don't know how much of an appetite I have, though, Mother..._

"Can we have a moment alone...?" Her mother requested softly, the first words Tanga had heard her say in weeks. "I have to talk with my daughter."

Four pairs of confused eyes exchanged a nervous look, but the young lion, bird, meerkat and warthog left willingly, walking into the jungle and disappearing from view. Immediately, an awkward silence filled in the space where they'd just been. Tanga looked down at the sad rodent at her paws, but left what was probably meant to be a peace offering untouched as her stomach went into spasms of nervousness. A few lengths away, her mother sat facing half away from her, her head angled so neither of them could see the other's face.

"They said you hadn't eaten..." her mother started, her voice slightly airy. "Aren't you hungry?"

Tanga couldn't hold in a sigh. She muttered, her chest aching with a seemingly infinite number of emotions, "Not really..."

_What do I say? What do I say? What do I-_

Kiara took a breath, too, but a moment or two passed before she spoke. "Tanga, I'm glad I found you... I was so worried. I'm happy you're safe now."

Tanga felt her body tense, and she couldn't stop the muscles in her face from bunching up into a frown she was glad her mother couldn't yet see.

"...I hope you're not too upset with me..."

At these words, Tanga's body flushed hot from her nose to her tail. "Of course I'm upset!" she blurted, unable to stop herself. "Mother I'm sorry I ran away from home but I'm even sorrier that I learned the truth that you hid from me about my father!" The outburst caused her eyes to begin filling with bitter tears of embarrassment. "I'm so _mad_ at you!" The sharp displeasure in Tanga voice rang in her ears.

Her mother started to turn around. "Tanga, I-"

Now the words were cascading from her mouth like water from behind an obliterated dam. "How could you keep such terrible secrets from us? Why were you helping Neo and not Asuma? You should've helped your own son and not someone else's! The whole pride knew what was going on, but we knew nothing! You know how that makes _me_ feel? Like a big idiot! No wonder nobody listens to me! They were right to think I knew nothing, because I didn't, and still don't! Did you really think I couldn't handle myself? Why didn't you tell me?" Letting out a tense growl, Tanga heaved a heavy breath and looked up at her mother and opened her mouth to let more barbed, furious words fly, but she immediately stopped herself. Instead of being furious with her for being so disrespectful, her mother's pink-rimmed, red-brown eyes were blurred by fat tears that were streaming down her face.

Tanga's eyes widened in shock. She'd only seen her mother cry in front of her twice- both times had been when her own parents had died.

"I know I made a mistake!" Kiara exclaimed, choked by her tears. "I know I did! All I wanted was to protect you both. That's all I wanted! Tanga, I admit I was wrong. I'm sorry I didn't just tell you the truth..." Kiara turned her face away again and sniffed, blinking hard with a grimace to stop her tears. "I was scared for you both, and when Tswane told me what he thought Natin and Asuma were planning, I was so terrified! I didn't want there to be a war, but I didn't want you three to take on that kind of a task. And now Chaka's anger is so out of control... And I didn't know what to do with Asuma, and he was distancing himself from everyone... And I feel guilty for telling your father to leave, even if it was for his own safety..."

"M-Mom?" Tanga stammered as her face flushed with uneasiness. "Mom?"

_Did I really believe she was totally oblivious to what was going on with Asuma? That she was just sitting by and doing nothing? Arg, how could I be so naive!_

"I'm so sorry I lied to you, Tanga... I think I'd be more concerned if you weren't angry with me. I didn't know I was just making things worse for everyone..."

Lowering her ears and swallowing hard, Tanga whispered, "Mom, I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'm-"

"I don't blame you, Tanga." Kiara sniffed again. "I know we haven't been very close since your father left the pride, but..."

Tanga moved closer and carefully rested her face against the back of her mother's shuddering neck and shoulders. "I just wish you'd told me..." Tanga said quietly, feeling odd that she was the one comforting her own mother. "I wanted you to help Asuma, not Neo, but I didn't know how to tell you... and he wouldn't tell me anything..."

Kiara shifted position and nuzzled her daughter's face with her own. "We'll find him. Natin, too. We'll help them, bring them home safe. Don't worry."

Tanga swallowed awkwardly. She rasped, "Natin's dead. He was killed in a stampede when we were trying to get Kovu alone... so they could kill him." Tanga closed her eyes, trying to block out the image of Natin's broken, forlorn body. On the verge of a sob, she croaked, "He wouldn't listen... I couldn't do anything for him... not even bury him."

Kiara shuddered and nuzzled Tanga harder. "Oh, Tanga... I'm so sorry..."

"Asuma's changed a lot since we left..." Tanga went on. "Now he's so tormented, and he's wasting his life... Mom... he said he hated me... The whole time we were away from home, I was so scared he'd do something he'd regret- I tried to help him, but he's _so_ lost... He was babbling something about Kovu's lionesses coming after us... making things up so I'd leave him alone..."

"Tanga..."

They sat there without speaking, taking comfort in each other's company and letting their tears dry. Slowly, her mother's soothing warmth caused Tanga's anger melt and her frustration lessen. The pain in her chest eased up, too, but her stomach was still in fits. Finally, she whispered, "Mother...?"

Kiara nodded. "Yes?"

Blinking tiredly Tanga felt her face muscles constrict into a slight grimace. "I can't even _describe_ what's happened to my own brother. I want him to come home, too... but what if when we find him... it's not him... just someone else...? What then? He won't come home until Kov-Father is finally dead."

Her mother shivered. "I- I don't know. I wish I knew." After nuzzling Tanga, Kiara pulled away gently so they could look into each other's eyes. Firmly, with a hint of a smile, she added, "But we'll think of something. Right now, you need to eat and rest. I need to talk to Bron so he can fly-"

"The bird?"

She nodded. "Chaka and Tojo need to know about this immediately. We can't plan anything until they know what's happened. Now eat."

As Kiara started to pull away, Tanga asked quickly, "Kenyi said you came here to help Chaka with his temper. What does that mean?"

The look on her mother's face was a mixture of exhaustion, worry, and grief. "He was very angry when he heard Kovu was building an army for war... He's..." Her voice then dropped to a low whisper. "It's not good, Tanga."

Beginning to feel even more hopeless than before, Tanga lowered her ears. Just like she hadn't been able to properly describe what Asuma was going through, she suspected her mother wasn't able to do the same with Chaka. Her eyes went to her paws as she murmured, "We're a family of lost brothers... aren't we, Mom? Unable to move on and forgive?"

Kiara nodded slowly. "Sometimes it seems that way."

A question then entered Tanga's mind, but she hesitated so long that Kiara started to walk away again to find the others. "Mom?" she said to get her attention. "Mom, wait."

Kiara paused mid-step and turned half-way around. "Yes?"

Tanga pawed self-consciously at the big rat on the ground. "H-have you forgiven Father for... you know...?"

The corner of her mother's mouth twitched a bit, and her vision grew distant, and again her eyes started to blur with fresh tears. "Please eat something... even if it's only a bite, Tanga," she said quietly. "I won't take long, and then I'll be back and we can talk some more. Okay?"

"All right..." Tanga sighed in mild disappointment, but nodded nevertheless as her mother disappeared into the jungle bushes surrounding the small clearing. She wasn't at all surprised by the answer she'd been given, and she couldn't blame her mother for giving such an answer. Crouching down, she sniffed at her small meal.

_That's all I've done, just preaching that they just need to forgive and get on with their lives... but do I even believe in the power of forgiveness anymore?_

She took a small bite and closed her eyes as she chewed.

_Do I really?_

* * *

_ "You're upset that you're not upset enough?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "Feel the way you want to feel. I don't think that you're wrong."_

_ "The heart wants what the heart wants, I suppose."_

_ "It's not your fault he was killed by a rogue."_

_ "Yes, well, I have regrets about not being around to protect him. I should've been there to help."_

The words Tanga had said so long ago, when she'd caught him pacing outside the den at Pride Rock, whispered through Chaka's head, making his heart feel hollow, yet unbearably heavy, under his ribs. He felt defeated as he walked with his head down, forcing himself to walk slowly for Natin, who gimped along on three paws. He'd figured Tswane would've at least paused to grab something for Natin's wounds, but he hadn't, saying he'd return after they'd secured the prisoners. The pair of scruffy rogues had stayed in front of the group where everyone could watch them. Chaka made up the rear. It would've been a lie to say he hadn't considered if the old lion and gangly mandrill were strong enough to stand any chance against stopping him from getting to Kovu. He had then realized how tender the strikes to his head and back were. He'd also sensed that Tojo hid a lot more of himself than he let on, despite his advanced age.

Natin's blood crusted on his muzzle, Chaka tried to swipe most of it away with his tongue as the faces of lionesses began to appear. They'd reached Pride Rock in the time it might have taken Chaka, on a good day, to run to Tswane's tree and then back to Pride Rock. By then, Natin was huffing and puffing, but when Chaka thought the young lion noticed the eyes on him and Kovu, Chaka was half-way amused to see the blue-eyed rogue lift his head and attempt to put more weight on his shredded leg as he walked.

In front of Chaka, Tojo came to a stop. "Where do you want them?" Tojo asked, keeping his voice level. The old king glanced unhappily up at the gathering onlookers who were not ashamed to openly gawk and glare at their prisoners.

"This way," Chaka replied, stepping to the front of the small group. Because he could feel Tojo and Tswane's eyes on him, he made sure to go around the prisoners on Natin's side and to stay away from Kovu. Where he wanted them wasn't far beyond the main den, but it was a place he'd only visited a time or two, mostly out of curiosity. Most of the other pride members wouldn't dream of going near Scar's cave, where his great uncle had lived out his days brooding about killing Mufasa and young Simba. Natin limped right in, but Kovu hesitated at the mouth of the small den, his anxious green eyes widening with confusion.

"What? Not homey enough for you?" Chaka inquired, smirking.

"Irony isn't becoming of you, Chaka." Out of the corner of his eye Tswane glared at him. "If there was a safer place for these two to stay, I'd say you'd _better_ try and pick a different place than this," the mandrill stated sharply.

Natin half-turned around. He eyed the ceiling and the walls of the small den. His voice echoed slightly when he asked, "What is this place?"

Tswane answered. "Scar's old den."

A sharp growl at Chaka's side caused him to furtively switch his gaze to Tojo.

"Really. _Is_ that what this is?" the old king stated with a hint of mock surprise in his displeased voice.

Chaka shrugged. "You heard Tswane. No place is safer than this."

By now, Kovu had made the effort to enter the cave and sit down near Natin. Chaka noticed both prisoners were focused on something behind their three wardens. Shadows on the ground also caught Chaka's eye, and he turned around to see that several angry-faced lionesses had followed them.

"Why aren't they dead?" one lioness barked, tossing her head back as she gestured to Kovu and Natin. Several called out in agreement.

"Are they gonna be dead soon?" another shouted.

Tojo stepped forward. He scanned the crowd of lionesses. "We need three lionesses to guard this den... You, you, and you."

Chaka noticed Tojo had picked only one lioness from his pride. The other two had come with Tojo from his. The Pridelander lioness also happened to be Suki, Neo and Isabis's mild-mannered mother.

_I'm not surprised..._

"Why isn't Kovu dead?" cried one lionesses as the three guards separated from the group and settled in around the mouth of the den. "You can't just leave us in the dark!"

"For now, you will be in the dark," Tojo told her tersely. "Now go back to what you were doing, please." He started forward, as if to herd them away, and Tswane did the same. "There's nothing for you here at this time."

The group of angry lionesses glared rebelliously at Tojo before turning away with a cumulative grumble.

Tojo then turned to the guards and gave them instructions to let nobody in or out of the den without prior permission, and also to not address the prisoners. In this time, Tswane said he would be back with something for Natin's wound and pain. While the mandrill made his leave, Tojo's back was still to Chaka...

"Stop. You're coming with me."

Chaka's body slumped mid-step. He had tried to slink away, tried to avoid the scolding he had coming, but it had been no use. When Tojo walked to Chaka's side and gestured for the younger lion to follow, Tojo's sharp blue eyes glared back at him without a hint of humility or tolerance.

"We're going to your watering hole."

Biting his tongue, Chaka quickly glanced over his shoulder at the den, but was disappointed to find that the inside was too shrouded in shadows for him to clearly see Kovu and Natin, who at least appeared to be talking and settling in.

Silently, Chaka followed Tojo to the watering hole. The old king then instructed Chaka to clean up his blood-crusted face and grass-blade-riddled fur and mane.

"Why are you still here?" Chaka lowered his head and dipped his face into the water. When he opened his eyes, his reflection, rippled by the beads of water dripping from his muzzle, was tinted pink. He resisted the urge to furrow his brow as the blood in the water gradually expanded and faded away.

"Why would I leave and give you what you've wanted all along?" Tojo nudged a small rock closer to Chaka. "Kovu and Natin served right up to you?"

Chaka sat up straighter and frowned hard at Tojo. "Well, now you see that I'm not all talk. I've done much worse to wild dogs... to the point I didn't know what they were anymore after I-"

"Stop... stop." While Chaka had been speaking, Tojo had started to slowly shake his head. "This is how you repay me for helping you?" Tojo growled. His upper lip twitched, momentarily letting slip one tooth. "I could've kept running past Tswane's tree, gotten my lionesses, and gone right back home. Clearly you know that. Bron and my son would know what to do once they returned with Kiara... But I didn't leave. Are you trying to impress me with how brutal you can be? Trying to make this harder on yourself than it has to be? I don't understand. Honestly, I don't."

To this, Chaka didn't have a retort. He just wanted to be left alone, but at the same time he knew nothing good would become of that. Lowering his head, he looked at his reflection again.

_Why am I acting like this? Don't I want to be happy?_

"Don't be proud, it's getting old," Tojo snapped. He shook his head again. "You can't afford to be proud right now. You need to make up your mind: are you a killer with the mentality of a cub, or are you something else?"

Chaka couldn't bear to let Tojo see his face, and he turned his head away. Disgust quickly started to well up on his chest again.

_How did I totally lose control, and so easily? I haven't figured myself out._

Quietly, Chaka finally said, "Really... I... I wouldn't blame you if you did leave, Tojo."

"You're just angry," Tojo went on, his voice slightly less harsh. "You let your anger act and speak for you." He paused. "It's your first defense against everything."

Chaka snorted. "You think?"

"And I've never heard so much sarcasm from one creature."

Chaka sighed. His body started to feel heavy as the very last traces of adrenaline left him. He really wanted to find some place quiet to sleep where he could be alone.

"Chaka, look at your reflection again. Like you just were."

Chaka's focus went to the water. He couldn't see real clearly, but he knew there were still traces of blood at the corner of this mouth, and he could still taste blood on his teeth and tongue. His mane was bedraggled, and the expression on his one-eyed, scarred face was one of cool displeasure and jaded scorn. Next to him, he saw Tojo's perfect, commanding, imposing reflection. The old lion's chin was lifted, his observant blue eyes half-hooded.

"You can do better, Chaka," Tojo stated quietly. "Caking on more blood or adding to your collection of scars wouldn't improve your appearance."

The words burst from Chaka's mouth before he realized he'd even thought them. "My appearance is the least of my worries."

"What are you worried about most then?" Tojo pressed.

There were plenty of things he was worried about. Chaka took a deep breath and exhaled. Finally, he muttered, "What's inside..."

Tojo's rippling reflection smiled. "What made you say that?"

Now the answer came to Chaka so quickly he could barely get the words out of his mouth. "Because my family hates me. They keep putting up with me."

"They don't hate you. It's the anger they don't appreciate," Tojo corrected. "Trust me."

_I'm so conflicted... I don't want to-"_

"I don't want to hurt them more than Kovu has. With my anger," Chaka said, trying to register the epiphany.

"You spend too much time burdening yourself with these worries. I don't think you gain pleasure from hating Kovu, and it's become an addiction that only makes you unhappy. You need to make peace with yourself, Chaka. Stop thinking about these worries and do something about them."

Chaka's mind began to clear, and he frowned at Tojo's reflection again.. "What is there to do...?"

Tojo hesitated. "As hard as it will be, I suggest you make peace with Kovu first. He's your trigger."

"Of course he is-"

"Sarcasm, Chaka. You are angry with him because..."

Chaka growled quietly and thought for a moment. "...Because he let my family down when he was supposed to be protecting them in my place."

"Good. Very good." Tojo nodded slowly. "Now you're going to make peace with Kovu-"

"But-"

Tojo's tail smacked Chaka in the back. "It's not for him. It's for you. You need to let it go."

Chaka's mouth was set into a stubborn hard line. He looked up and stared hard at Tojo.

The old lion's expression softened. "At least try," Tojo coaxed. It was amazing how he was able to keep his voice so calm. "What can trying hurt?"

_Maybe a lot, you don't know._

"Don't be such a pessimist, Chaka. All you have to do is tell him what you told me, about why you're angry with him."

_ Sounds too easy..._

Chaka glanced to the side. "What if he laughs at me?"

Tojo started to chuckle. "_That's _what you're worried about now? Don't be so trivial." Tojo chuckled louder as he stood up. "I'll make sure Kovu doesn't laugh at you."

Chaka wasn't sure what to think. "Do I have to tell him now?"

Tojo shook his head. "I'll give you the rest of the day."

Chaka sighed wearily and stared off onto the savannah.

"And no running off. Keep cleaning yourself up."

Chaka rolled his eye. "Fine." He pulled a grimace as Tojo walked off. The lion made sure to make eye contact with Chaka before he went back to Pride Rock. He nodded once, and Chaka nodded back.

_Great... I've got until the end of the day fester with my thoughts..._ _Is that even enough time?_

* * *

Kovu hadn't scanned the hostile mob for long before he realized that none of the angry, disgusted faces he saw belonged to the brown-eyed lioness he missed most. Because he knew she wasn't someone to hide, even from him, he knew what Chaka had said was true. Kiara really wasn't there.

He knew their reunion- when or even if there was going to be one- wouldn't be perfect, or as heartfelt as the one they'd had after Simba had exiled him from the Pride Lands years back. This didn't change how much he missed her or how he much he wanted her help to find their endangered children. He _had_ to find them because, if anything, they were her cubs and half of her… even if the other half had come from him.

"What is this place?" Natin's voice had echoed through the modest den.

"Scar's old den."

"Really. _Is_ that what this is?"

The palpable sarcasm in Tojo's cross voice had caught Kovu off guard, more so than the old king and Tswane's intervention between Chaka and Natin had. He was still reeling from Tojo and Tswane's tolerance for him and Natin, and their implicit power over Chaka confused him. He focused harder on what unspoken issue was happening between Kiara's brother, Tswane, and the old king, but he'd quickly become distracted by the mob of death-chanting lionesses who'd collected behind Tojo, Chaka, and Tswane.

"We need three lionesses to guard this den... You, you, and you."

When Tojo had picked out the guards, Kovu wasn't sure if they were there to keep Natin and himself in, or to keep the mob of lionesses at bay. A flash of fear ran through his anxious mind, but not exactly because he was terrified of being ripped to shreds by the lionesses.

"How long will they keep us here?" Natin had asked.

"I don't know…" Kovu had answered quietly. "Do you know what's going on with Chaka?"

Natin's head had gone back and forth. "Not a clue."

After they'd been secured, Chaka, Tojo, and Tswane had departed. Tswane had promised to return to look after Natin's wounds, and soon enough Natin had been dosed up to ease his pain with some leaves, which, judging by his nephew's sickened expression, must not have tasted too great. Tswane then placed a muddy-colored mixture directly to Natin's wound before he arranged seven large leaves and several tendrils under Natin's injured foreleg.

Natin's face was pinched in pain. "That stuff stings."

Bent over his patient, the shaman picked up both ends of one tendril. "More than Chaka's bite?" He then crossed the tendril's ends, lifting two leaves with it, and tied it tightly over the wound.

Natin hissed sharply. His other forepaw lifted slightly off the ground and his toes curled in discomfort.

Kovu studied the intense look of concentration on Tswane's face. The shaman certainly wasn't as young as he had been when he'd last been in the Pride Lands, but Kovu still wondered if this had been what Rafiki had looked like in his prime.

Tswane tightened the second tendril, his eyes still on Natin's wound. "I can't give you the answers if you don't ask the questions, Kovu."

Self-consciously, Kovu shifted his weight. He listened as Natin hissed in pain again, and cringed.

_What do I want to ask? What should I ask?_

"What's up with Chaka?" Natin blurted right before the last tendril could be pulled taut, and he gave a grunt of pain.

"Please be more specific."

"Why," Kovu started, "are you treating Chaka like a cub? And why don't you want him to kill us? Why should you or Tojo care at all?"

"All of you have been acting like cubs. Chaka's just the biggest," Tswane replied evenly as he finished tying off Natin's bandage. "I care that he doesn't kill you for a number of reasons. One, because I don't care for murder." The shaman stepped back and brushed his paws together, cleaning off the bits of medicinal mixture from his fingertips. "Two, because murdering you isn't what he or this kingdom needs right now; and three, I didn't want to take the trouble to clean up after all three of you did each other in."

Kovu grimaced in distaste, but then raised a brow when he saw the small smile on Tswane's face. His eyebrow rose higher when Tswane came forward and rested a paw on Kovu's shoulder. The gesture was surprisingly kind.

"You understand I risked a lot by stopping him, right?" Tswane glanced at Natin, who looked back at him with drooping eyelids as the leaves he'd eaten relaxed him.

Natin smirked back. "Yeah, right, he can't kill you with that lethal stick of yours."

"I am that good, but I said I risked 'a lot', not 'my life'. I think you should lie down, Natin." Tswane then turned back to Kovu. "Rafiki did what he had to do, you should understand that. I'll help you as much as I can. You just use your head to make the right choices," he went on. "Chaka trusted me and Tojo enough to make the right choices for this pride because he couldn't do it himself- not that he's incapable of making decisions. He's learning. But you heard what Tojo said... I don't think you would at this point, but if you make any move otherwise to prove us wrong…" At this, Tswane drew a finger across his throat. "I won't be able to talk my head off any more to save you."

Even though Kovu was tired of hearing this threat in various forms, he realized the look on Tswane's face wasn't cruel, but sympathetic.

"Your family has been out of balance for too long. I don't know everything that you've been through, but I'm telling you this because I believe you're capable of proving Chaka wrong." Tswane's grip tightened on Kovu's shoulder. "Prove to him you're not the monster he sees in his imagination... And maybe an apology wouldn't hurt, either. Someone should apologize first, and I don't think it'll be Chaka."

Kovu's eyes drifted to the stone at his paws. He wondered how many sleepless nights Scar had spent pacing that den. "I talked to the Council, and they told me I owed a lot of apologies to those who I've wronged."

Tswane's eyes widened a bit. "Hmm, you talked to them, did you?"

"They brought Natin back from the dead."

"Oh... Well..." Tswane rubbed the back of his neck. "If I was anybody but me, I'd say that was crazy talk... But do me a favor- if you tell Chaka that little detail, soften the blow?"

Kovu nodded, knowing that if he hadn't seen Natin's resurrection happen for himself, he wouldn't have believed it either. He knew, however, that because Asuma and Tanga had seen Natin fade away with their own eyes, and because he had every intention of finding his children, Chaka would hear about it eventually. And if the three guards at the mouth of the den were any good, they'd just heard that detail, too.

Tswane pulled away and went to Natin's side. By now, the young lion had fallen fast asleep, the exhaustion having melted from his face, which was beginning to look much older than it should. The shaman looked over his handiwork.

After a moment, Kovu cleared his parched throat. He had to ask... "Where is Kiara if she's not here?"

Satisfied with Natin's bandages, Tswane stood up to his full height and picked up his staff, which had been leaning against the stone wall near the den entrance. "She's gone to bring Timon and Pumbaa back from the oasis. Tojo wants to talk to them. She left very early this morning with Tojo's son, before dawn. She should be back tomorrow evening at the latest."

Kovu pursed his mouth. This wasn't good news.

_Will I have to wait that long? Did Asuma's plan work? Does that mean he is in mortal danger? What's even going to happen to me?_

Tswane picked at the decorations on his staff. When one of the dried gourds fell off and shattered, the shaman kicked at the bits and frowned. "Darn... I was hoping I didn't have to fix this. Oh, well, I guess..." He then started walking towards the mouth of the small cell. "You'll probably have an audience with Chaka by sundown. I'd get some rest, Kovu. Natin'll be out until morning probably. Do you want me to bring you some water?"

"Yes... thanks." Even if he'd refused, the hoarseness of Kovu's voice would've given him away.

With a nod, Tswane left him alone with Natin and the three guards posted at the entrance. For a moment, Kovu closed his eyes before turning his head absently to look at the back of the den. Bleary-eyed, his green eyes fell upon ten, jagged, pale marks on the back wall. It was as if someone had used the whole length of their body to claw down the face of the stone. Along the ground he thought he could see a few bone shards, too.

Kovu sighed, finally allowing the full weight of his exhaustion to hit him. His muscles and paws grieved him after running so hard. If the shaman knew anything at all, it was that he could use the rest. He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept longer than a few hours.

_Though, I could use a bit more than just rest,_ he thought. _I need luck... and not the kind that's been following me around. And Chaka's patience... if he has any._

Natin slept only about the length of Kovu's body away from him. Resting his chin on his paws, Kovu heaved another heavy sigh and closed his heavy eyes.

_I have to find them. I have to help Asuma and Tanga and bring them home... I have to. No matter what..._

* * *

Generous was how Chaka would've described the amount of time he'd taken that afternoon to prepare himself to at least hear Kovu's story. He thought he'd heard everything...

_Apparently not._

Gathered in the main den inside Pride Rock at sunset, Chaka made himself patiently listen while Kovu described his adventures away from home- from Vitani's murder to his abandonment of the princes and princess- but he'd started to grow impatient as he tried to absorb the rest.

_What's all this about the Council wanting Asuma to be king? And some sort of 'test'? And Kovu's dreams- How could he sanely believe he'd actually helped Asuma and Tanga through his _dreams? _And how could Natin come back from the dead? How, by the Great Kings, was that possible?_

"I know what you're thinking," Kovu spoke up in a pleading voice. He took a deep breath after his long-winded fairytale. "But I swear I am not lying. I'm telling you the truth..." Kovu glanced away and added more quietly, "I actually wish everything that's happened were a lie."

Chaka leveled a narrowed dubious glare at Kovu. He waited for Tojo and Tswane, who were sitting behind Kovu, to speak up, but they remained silent. Their expressions were observant, but neutral. So far, they'd only listened to the conversation between the murderous rogue and the Pridelander heir. Acknowledging that they were only there to make sure he didn't kill Kovu, Chaka rolled his eye and gave a dismissive shrug. Addressing Kovu, he asked, "What proof do you have that you aren't lying?"

Kovu opened his mouth.

"And don't say Natin's your alibi."

Kovu closed his mouth. He then looked down at the stone at his paws. "I have nothing then. At least until I find Asuma and Tanga."

Chaka sighed in frustration. The den was too hot, too stuffy, too closed in. This interrogation was going nowhere, and his uneasiness was rising. He briefly glanced at the two stoic figures behind Kovu.

_At some point, Tojo expects me to try and make amends with this nut-job in some way... Wonder how I'll bring that up..._

He was seriously starting to think he wouldn't be able to do it...

Chaka inwardly growled. _But I have to!_

Then, Kovu loudly cleared his throat. "I have something else to say to you..."

Coolly, Chaka raised a brow. "Now what?"

Kovu blinked slowly, as if he were choosing his words carefully. In a dry, scratchy voice, he calmly said, "I'm sorry... Chaka... for... hurting everyone."

"What?" Chaka's disbelieving gaze snapped to Kovu's tired face. The harsh tone of his voice made Kovu flinch a little. "What?" he stammered again, feeling a twinge of anger. Through gritted teeth he spat out his words in contempt, "For _hurting_ everyone...? No! _Hurting_ everyone is the least you could say!"

Kovu looked down for a moment, but then he looked up and held Chaka's glare. His voice was just above a whisper at first, but then it grew stronger. "I'm sorry... Chaka, for taking your father away from you, for causing your mother and sister pain. Especially your mother... I ruined your life..."

Chaka felt his lip twitch. Like a starving hawk searching the land for a meal, he searched his enemy's face for any trace of dishonesty, any trace of insincerity.

"...But _PLEASE..."_ Kovu went on, his gaze hardening despite the tremor in his voice. "Please help Asuma and Tanga...I've already punished them enough. You can kill me for all I care the second they're both safe again. You are their only chance. I lost my chance to protect them, and I can't help them alone. I have no right to call them my children. I'm no father to them, but you're the one who replaced me when I caused Simba's death. I promise I have every reason to tell the truth now, and I am. They're in danger."

Chaka's eyes widened at the onslaught of words pouring from Kovu's mouth. The tension in the room tripled, and he knew it was because Tojo and Tswane were watching, waiting, for his reaction. He'd never expected Kovu to bear his soul like this. Hadn't thought it possible at all.

_And I thought he was gonna laugh at me._

His appeals to Chaka's supposed paternal side were clever, but Chaka found that they stung more than swayed him to help Kovu. Looking hard to inflict pain on the monster who'd taken his father away from him, Chaka wasn't surprised he'd become someone who was so out of control, deaf, and unhappy. He was unsure of what happiness really was, he hadn't felt it in so long. It didn't make him happy to hear Kovu apologize to him, far from it, but as he sat there, Asuma and Tanga's faces crept into the forefront of his mind. They weren't just his family's only heirs, but they were also the cubs he had seen grow up, suffering because of someone else's actions, always playing by someone else's rules, never actually controlling the direction their lives took. Chaka knew he'd played his part in letting them down, which was probably why he'd tried to push as much responsibility onto Kiara as she'd let him.

Kovu had lowered his head, his scarred face hidden by his dark brown mane, and his skinny form hunched. He looked like he was just waiting for a pack of buzzards to pick him up and fly him off to the underworld, waiting for the long-coming execution order to come down on his head. Outside the sun was setting, casting Kovu in a shadow that extended to the tips of Chaka's paws.

_I might hate him... but he's right. Asuma and Tanga can't suffer any more than they already have._

Chaka closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Noisily, the air exited through his nostrils. The silence that had fallen in the cave was killing him. He had to keep calm! He had to- he wanted to- so badly! Opening his good eye, he first focused on Kovu before his gaze flitted to Tojo, who did nothing more than offer a small, prompting nod.

The time for Chaka to change his pattern of rage was now, he knew that much, and there was no escaping it.

Chaka took another deep breath before grounding out, his eyes still on Tojo's face, "Sit up straight and look at me in the face, Kovu."

With some hesitation, Kovu lifted his head. As his battered body rose up, his green eyes- demon-hunted eyes- met Chaka's fierce stare. The rogue blinked tiredly, but after a moment he managed to lift his chin a fraction.

Chaka swallowed, desperately trying to hide his anger and nervousness as he looked into the eyes of his sister's mate, the father of Tanga and Asuma, the son of Zira, the heir of Scar, the killer of Simba. He dug down deep, past his hatred and the betrayal, and said tautly, "What you did to the pride, harming them instead of protecting them in my place, was deplorable. If you'd done that in the pride I came from, we wouldn't be sharing the same air in this den right now... Maybe there's a reason why I didn't get to grow up here," he went on, "and maybe there isn't a reason. What matters is that we're both_ here_. Right now. And that Tanga and Asuma are out _there_ somewhere in danger. I-"

Suddenly, there was a burst of activity at the den entrance. Tojo and Tswane turned completely around to look while Kovu, slightly wide-eyed, remained frozen, aside from swiveling his ears. Tojo's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. A blue bird landed near the old king.

"Bron?" Tojo exclaimed, his tone harsh. "Why are you here? Where's Kiara and my son?"

Tswane frowned. "They can't have returned from the oasis this quickly."

The bird's stance was unsteady. He wheezed, "Th'queen, Kiara, sent m'here... to-to-to... Tanga, the princess, has been found!"

Chaka's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, too. He never thought he'd see his niece again. "Is she safe?"

The bird nodded furiously. "Yes, yes! She's bit exhausted'n body an' spirit."

Now Kovu moved and started towards the bird. He exclaimed, "And Asuma? My son!"

The bird fidgeted, looking nervous and irritated, but unhappy. "They dunno, sir. Th'fear th'worst."

From across the cave, Chaka narrowed his stare and sensed the bird was holding something important back. He opened his mouth, but Tojo broke in first. Calmly, slowly, the old king asked Bron, "And what about the one named Natin? Kiara's nephew? What news is there about him?"

Chaka's body tensed as he watched the bird's expression grow even more grave. The bird seemed to take forever to reply.

"Sir... Natin died ina stampede. That th'do know."

Chaka immediately jerked his head in Kovu's direction, knowing in his mind that he was openly gaping at the rogue. It didn't matter, though, because Kovu was doing the same thing.

"It wasn't just a dream..." Chaka thought Kovu murmured. "I'm not so crazy... I did talk to Asuma..."

Before anyone could say anything else, Tojo bumped Chaka's foreleg with his paw and motioned for him to follow him outside, just out of earshot of the others. The king whispered, "This lines up with what Kovu said about Tanga going to the oasis, now doesn't it? Bron also just told you what has become of your misguided nephew- Natin's certainly worse for wear, but he's not dead."

Chaka looked side-long at the old king. Had everything in Kovu's story really happened? He replied, tight-lipped, "I s'pose it does... So I guess that means-"

"Asuma is facing the lioness pride alone."

Whipping around, Chaka stared blankly at Kovu, who had wandered out of the den as if he'd just seen a ghost.

_Now what the hell am I supposed to do with you? What the hell am I supposed to do about Asuma?_

As Tojo moved away to speak with Bron, Kovu lowered his head and squeezed his eyes shut tight. The dark-furred lion then sat down heavily. Chaka was still deep in shock when Kovu muttered something he didn't quite catch all the way, only hearing the word 'run'.

"Come again?"

Chaka flinched when Kovu sniffed and said, "I told him to run away. He wanted to fight them."

"In that dream of yours?"

Kovu nodded. "He wanted to so... Tanga could get away."

Chaka grimaced, knowing what Kovu's statement implied. Absently, he watched as Tojo spoke quietly with Tswane. Tojo himself turned and looked back at Chaka with dread in his blue eyes. Chaka then looked away and turned his attention back to Kovu, whose head was still lowered in misery.

"We'll... We'll find him," Chaka told his enemy akwardly. "Even if- We won't stop until we find Asuma. You can count on it."

His body giving a shake, Kovu acknowledged him with nod.

Chaka sighed through his teeth.

_It's probably going to be easier said than done._

* * *

**A/N: Enjoy this chapter? I hope you did! It was super hard to orchestrate and pace! *faints* I normally PM my regular readers for reviewing, but I just wanted to say that I really enjoy reading your reviews, dudes and ladies! :)**

**There's still a decent amount of content left, but my outline feels a bit sparse. So, I wanted to ask if readers wanted the characters A) to just go from the Pride Lands to the oasis and skip Kovu and co. going through the desert, or B) to have some sort of an actiony opportunity for Kovu and Chaka to 'bond' in between? I'm leaning towards B because I need to write something other than dialogue. :B**


	41. Words That We've Spoken

**(A/N: Thank you guys for being sooo patient! The 2 summer classes I took were more time consuming that I had predicted. But, it just got me that much closer to getting my BA. Hopefully now I'll get things back on the monthly schedule. Thanks for your reviews on the last chapter, guys, here is a new update.)**

* * *

A sharp jab caused pain to radiate through Natin's shoulder. Someone was attempting to drag him out of the grasping, drug-induced sleep that was keeping him immersed in unconsciousness. Low voices above Natin's head were incoherent, but he registered how uptight and on edge they sounded. Hardly able to open his eyes, Natin weakly batted at the forcibly prodding paw.

Someone's hot breath on Natin's cheek and in his ear made him tense up. Distantly, he thought he heard Chaka mumble, "Wh...t... Givehim... Tswane?"

"Wake up!" his uncle hissed anxiously. "Tanga has been found."

_What? Tanga's been found? Where? Here?_

Groggy, Natin managed to slur out, "Huhhhwhy? Whattthhow? Ssshhhehere?" Painfully, he forced his eyes open as Kovu backed away.

"I sent my messenger with Kiara," Tojo explained. "While we were discussing the situation, he flew back here with the news that Tanga is being looked after by her mother at Timon and Pumbaa's oasis."

_She's been found! That's great, right? She's alive! I'm gonna have the chance to say I'm sorry! Tell her I was wrong! And Asuma... I…I…_

The relieving news only raised Natin's spirits for a second before they crumbled like loose earth, leaving him feeling ill and heavy-hearted. "Just Tanga?" He forced his eyes open wider, lifting his heavy head. A lingering numbness made his limbs feel useless. Kovu, Tojo, and Tswane stood over him. A blue bird was perched on Tojo's shoulder.

Kovu nodded solemnly. "Yes... Asuma must be taking on the lionesses alone..."

Mute, Natin gaped at his uncle. Unfolding before him was all the effort they'd made to save both of his cousins.

"But we'll find him," Kovu went on. A giddy smile widened his muzzle. "There's still a chance he's out there, maybe injured, needing our help and-"

"He'd have no chance!" Angrily, Natin spat a curse, causing everyone to flinch sharply. "He's as good as dead- he probably resigned himself to die!"

"No. He's still got a chance. I know he does," Kovu shot back. "He can't die! He's needed!"

Natin scowled. _What do I do with you? Stop believing that everything is going to turn out perfect! This world is not perfect, it's excessively cruel! Be happy Tanga is the one who survived after everything that you did! Everything that_ I _did and didn't do!_

"Stop. Dismissing. My. Son!" Kovu bellowed. He was glowering down at Natin, but when Chaka, Tojo, and Tswane glanced at each other, Kovu looked away self-consciously.

_Oh who cares if we argue with an audience! It doesn't matter anymore!_

"Forgive me for being the pessimist I've become," Natin retorted, "but open your eyes! What did Sauda and Fola do to my mother? Huh?" He then spat venomously, "And that was just for _fun_! She didn't kill their _leader_ like _you_ did!"

"What'd you say?"

Chaka suddenly all-but pushed Kovu out of the way and stood in front of Natin. Kovu was too distracted by Chaka's outburst to issue more than a small growl of protest.

"Those names- Fola and Sauda," Chaka pressed. "That's what you said, right?"

"What...? Yeah..." Natin was taken aback and he frowned confusedly. "They're just... these two dumb lionesses who helped kill my mother, and Kovu killed Sauda when she got in the way." Natin narrowed his eyes and cocked his head to the side, looking closer at Chaka's surprised, troubled expression. "Why, do their names matter to you?"

"They matter because..." Chaka blurted, but then stopped when he noticed how everyone was staring at him oddly. He straightened up and lifted his chin. He explained, clearing his throat, "I-I knew them... once... from my old pride."

Natin and everyone else raised an eyebrow, their eyes widening. Nobody spoke as they attempted to take in Chaka's connection to the heathen lionesses.

_What the…_

Chaka continued awkwardly, "Some older lionesses... They wanted to abandon their pride when the king was really going off the deep end. There was gonna be a revolution. They gathered up a few of the younger lionesses, including Fola and Sauda, and then asked if I wanted to go, too. I knew I needed to get away. I wasn't a warrior, I wasn't a lioness... I wasn't one of them. I probably would've ended up dead if..." At that point, Chaka trailed off again, his gaze becoming very distant. He then muttered equivocally, "Probably explains a few things..."

"That's an advantage, isn't it?" Kovu suggested eagerly, his tone despairingly hopeful to Natin's ears. "They know you, and you know them better than me or Natin, right?"

"Yes... And that's the problem... I probably do know... them better," Chaka replied unhappily, looking down at his paws. "But, I knew them too long ago, and I think you've poorly judged them if you think their stupid." He then glared at Kovu and spoke painstakingly slow. "You made a _very_ grave _mistake_ when you killed Sauda. They're all soldiers- _soldiers_ who do not let their enemies crawl away. That's why they left the pride- because the crazy lion who was king wanted everyone to run and hide after a huge defeat. Some of them _are_ as stupid as a tick on an elephant's ass, but how smart d'you _have_ to be to _take_ someone's _life_."

Kovu frowned, his lip twitching.

"Calm down," Chaka spat. "I've killed, too... Just not my own kind."

Natin had tensed at Chaka's gibe when Tswane spoke up calmly, "Time is of the essence. If Asuma has _any_ chance, you both need to turn this energy you're using to bicker into energy used to find him."

Chaka and Kovu didn't break off their glares even as Chaka said, "Fine with me. We leave immediately- find Kiara first at the oasis and then take things from there."

Chaka's use of 'we' was unsettling. Natin bit the inside of his cheek, watching the anger grow on Kovu and Chaka's faces. He hated how out of the loop he was. Was his uncle going, too, or staying here? They were still prisoners, despite the situation, weren't they? Had Chaka and Kovu worked something out? He thought Tojo had said something about a discussion. Regardless, Natin knew he was in no condition to go along, and he believed he wouldn't even make it to the border by the time the sun hit its high point. He felt the dull throb in his foreleg. He guessed the numbing effect of the stuff Tswane had smeared on his wound was wearing off. He didn't expect anyone to ask him to tag along.

_How much use am I alive now than dead?_

When Chaka finally broke off his glare, he turned to Tojo. "Can you run fast and keep a pace?"

Natin's muscles relaxed. Maybe the 'we' included Tojo after all.

Tojo lifted his chin, replying. "It'll ease your mind if I'm here watching Natin and keeping your pride safe while you're away."

"You're not coming?" Undisguised panic filled Chaka's good eye, and Natin was certain that the big lion's fur turned a shade paler.

Kovu looked ill himself.

Tojo took a moment to respond. "You know what's right and what's wrong," he told Chaka. Then his eyes darkened as he added, "I'll just tell you now that it won't bother me any if you come back here and I find out that you killed him."

Without meaning to, Natin flinched. He didn't fully understand Chaka's attachment to Tojo, but at the very least having an old lion around would've probably been better than having a wounded one who'd already lost to Chaka. Did Tojo think Chaka_ cared _about what the old king thought about his actions? Did Chaka care? Why? How? Frustrated, Natin could only guess that his uncle and Chaka had already come to some sort of truce agreement in the spirit of their only common interest- Asuma- which was fine enough with him.

_But so much for Tojo's help... He's taking a huge risk... whatever his goal is..._

Tojo then turned to the three guards who were standing, and clearly acting too conspicuous, at the mouth of the den. Tojo called to one of them, a straight-faced lioness with green eyes. Her orange-toned fur was darker than Kiara's.

"Yes, my king?" she asked coolly, her voice a bit husky.

"Muna, I want you to go with Kovu and Chaka. You can act as a diffuser and help them once their prince is found."

She nodded. "Yes, of course."

"I want to go, too."

Although Natin was grateful to see the rescue group expand, he doubted the sturdiness of the small, eager-eyed lioness who'd spoken. She walked lightly, as if anticipating any sudden sound that might make her jump to the side. He thought she was the mother of the young adolescents who'd been following Tanga around, but he wasn't sure, especially since he hadn't yet seen either of the cubs.

Chaka offered her a weak smile. "Suki, I can't ask you to do that... It's gonna be very dangerous."

Her eagerness faltered a bit. "I'm going for you, Tanga, and Kiara. And Asuma when he's found." She then looked at Muna, who looked back at her out of the corner of her eye. "I might not be as tough she looks, and you might think I'm too sweet and gentle to go, but I still want to go with you."

"Take her with you, Chaka," Tojo spoke up firmly. The old king offered the small lioness a modest smile. "I think she'll be good for you."

Suki grinned back, probably thankful, before she looked at Chaka, seeking his approval.

Finally, Chaka gave in. "All right, you can come." He glanced outside at the dark night. "We need to leave sooner rather than later." He then looked at Kovu.

Kovu nodded. "I want to talk to Natin first."

Looking disgruntled, Chaka started to move outside, as did Tojo, Tswane, Suki, and Muna. He muttered quickly, "Okay, but we need to leave. And before those lionesses notice."

"This won't take long, I promise," Kovu assured Chaka, who only glared impatiently back at him.

The second Chaka was out of earshot and before Kovu had a chance to sit down, Natin hissed under his breath, "I don't know what kind of agreement you two have, but don't turn your back on him."

"Don't worry," his uncle replied. "That's one of the first things I ever learned... but I do wish you were coming," his uncle said quietly. "I could really use you right now... I'm still trying to process this... new Chaka."

"New Chaka?" Natin eyed his uncle suspiciously. "What are you _talking_ about? This is just about how he acted when I came here for Asuma. And then some."

Kovu unmistakably glanced at Natin's foreleg. He explained, "I'm not entirely sure, but I think he's trying to understand me and what I did. I told him everything-"

At this, Natin cringed.

"-and when he heard Tanga had made it to the oasis... and that she'd told Kiara you were dead... he seemed convinced I might just be telling him the truth. And I apologized to him."

Natin glanced away, extremely doubtful. Nobody could change their attitude so quickly, even with help and an apology. Attitudes were cultivated over time. "Just watch your back. Do not provoke him. He doesn't actually need you anymore, now that Tanga's there. And don't-"

"I'll be fine, Natin. Don't worry. He does need me, and in a day or two we'll find a way to send word here." Kovu made a face, which Natin suspected was meant to be a reassuring smile.

Natin lowered his ears. Almost in a whisper, he urged, "Just don't trust him unless you have to, and don't push Tanga or Kiara either, ok-"

"Let's head out," Chaka called impatiently, standing at the entrance. "We should cross most of the desert by midday."

Kovu's green eyes flashed with irritation when he turned his attention away from Natin. "Fine, I'm coming," he called back sharply. He then jogged out of the den, past Chaka, out of sight.

When Chaka lingered, flicking his tail back and forth, Natin made eye contact with him and glared hard at the bigger, meaner lion.

Natin's harsh, lilting voice echoed slightly. "Guess I shouldn't have talked to Asuma alone, huh? I released all the secrets, didn't I?"

Chaka glared back, staring him down, much like he'd done when Natin had originally returned home.

"Do me a favor, Chaka, and watch that ol' rage of yours," Natin added.

Chaka turned away with a derisive snort. "I'll work on that for you," he muttered before disappearing from view.

When the moment passed, Natin blinked, realizing he was alone now except for the remaining lioness from Tojo's pride who sat outside with her back to the cave.

After everything, this was the last thing he would've expected to happen, and it had all happened so quickly.

_How am I still breathing? How did Asuma manage to get himself into so much trouble? How are two lions who hate each other's guts going on a rescue mission... together?_

He shook his head and laid back down with his head resting on the stone floor, smirking tiredly to himself. If someone asked him one day to explain everything, he knew he would hardly come off as sane, even though he liked to consider himself to be one of the most sane players in the serious game that was running around him.

_Nothing makes sense... yet everything does... I guess it's just how you see it all..._

* * *

The muggy, thick jungle was too noisy, but the inside of Kiara's mind was deafening. Clenching her eyes shut, she tried to bury her exhausted head in her paws.

_I need to sleep... I cannot be tired..._

Bron had left hours before. She couldn't really estimate how fast a small bird could fly, but she expected him to return by mid-morning at the latest with instructions from home.

_What will Chaka think when he hears Tanga is safe? Will he want to help Asuma then? Does he think Asuma knew better than to do what he did? Would he refuse to help? What then? Would I be able to ask Tojo to help me? Should I try finding Asuma alone? How long could I commit to that?_

She sighed and raised her eyelids. Not too far away, Tanga was resting quietly in the hollow of the big tree's roots. On the other side of the clearing, Kenyi slept soundly with his back facing everyone. A few steps away from Kiara, Timon and Pumbaa were sleeping as well. When Tanga made a small snorting noise in her sleep, Kiara sat up and looked down on her daughter. Blinking tiredly, Kiara tried to smile at Tanga's smooth, relaxed features.

A smile didn't come, however.

Kiara was glad her daughter was near her again, safe, but this only reminded her more strongly of who was still missing.

_Where is my son right now? My child? Is he safe, too? Has he found Kovu yet? Is he thinking through his actions?_

_ "...He's so tormented, and he's wasting his life... Mom... he said he hated me..."_

Her shoulders sagged. She knew she should've told her children the truth, and she was determined now to right the mistakes she'd made, to do her best to help her family come together again when they were spread so thin... but she felt clueless about how to do it.

_"H-have you forgiven Father for… you know…?"_

Kiara sighed, feeling bothered. She regretted pushing her daughter's question off in favor of taking care of business-

But what was she to do? She'd needed to send word quickly to Tojo and Chaka in the Pride Lands. The wounded, disappointed expression on Tanga's face had hurt her deeply, but what could she have said? Yes? No? And by the time business had been taken care of, Tanga had fallen asleep. Kiara had needed to rely on Timon and Pumbaa for information, but they'd only gotten a few big, contextually vague things out of Tanga- basically that Kovu had abandoned them after leaving the lionesses, that Natin had died in a stampede, and that Asuma had tried to tell Tanga that they were being hunted down by Kovu's lionesses before Asuma chased her away. Kiara knew there was more to extract from Tanga. Everyone needed the whole story to proceed, but doing so felt too... formal... distant... indifferent... cold...

-_Business... Seems like royal business and my duty to my pride and what's good for them has come before my flesh and blood a lot more than I used to think it did... And when I put individuals above the whole, it's a bad thing- but when I try to work for the group, it doesn't work either... I didn't help Kovu explain himself because there was an angry mob standing behind me; I shouldn't have helped Suki protect her cubs- one of them an heir to the throne- because there were individuals more worthy of being sheltered; I shouldn't have lied to my cubs about their father in order to allow them to move on and be happy and serve the pride well; and I shouldn't have let my own mother carry herself alone because I was too scared that she was hiding some bit of unspoken disappointment in me..._

_ "Mother, do you want to go for a walk?"_

_ Nala had lifted her head, giving her daughter a smile that hadn't reached her dull eyes. "Maybe later, Kiara..." The old queen was resting on a rock Kiara remembered her grandmother using when she'd been alive. Nala's peaceful demeanor would've further resembled Sarabi's if not for the vague feeling of lethargy and sadness that Kiara was getting from her mother._

_ Kiara tried to offer a sympathetic smile. Her mother's behavior had been a bit off for several days- resting more and for longer, declining to go on hunts, eating less, visiting Tswane more. Some of the older lionesses were even acting more Nala's age than she was. When Kiara looked at her mother, she often felt a dull stab of worry in her belly._

_ When her mother resumed resting her chin on her foreleg, Kiara sat down next to the rock. Nala smiled warmly at her, and this time the smile returned a little of the spark to her blue-green eyes._

_ "I heard Asuma and Tanga have been practicing their hunting. Will they have their first solo hunt soon?"_

_ Kiara had nodded. "I think by the start of the rainy season they'll be ready. Asuma still needs a little more practice, but he's really trying hard to get better."_

_ Memories of Kovu rescuing her from the staged fire and teaching her to hunt more stealthily had entered Kiara's mind at that moment. Kovu was supposed to be there, coaching their cubs, encouraging them. She had no idea where he was or if he'd ever return to her. Chaka had tried to help a couple of times, but had seemingly grown frustrated quickly by the tedious task, and had instead gone off on patrol alone._

_ "You're doing a good job teaching them, Kiara," Nala remarked pleasantly before opening her jaws to yawn. "They'll both be masters in their own right before you know it."_

_ Kiara heard her mother's words, and knew she was trying to assure her, but the weariness on her mother's face ground on Kiara's emotions. Her mother just looked so tired, and had been that way since her father's death. The other members of the pride always felt on edge, and Kiara knew that state would either have let up... or continue until everyone was exhausted. And Kiara knew that the state of her pride was almost just as much her fault as it was Kovu's. She hated seeing her mother suffer, even if she did it with all the dignity she'd cultivated since cubhood. Her mother didn't deserve that, she deserved far better,_ _no matter what..._

The sudden sound of a bird's thrashing wings made Kiara lift her ears. Everyone stirred at the noise. In the middle of the clearing a blue bird all but plummeted to the ground, stumbling and gasping for breath.

Kiara's eyes widened. "Bron!" She pushed herself to her paws and jogged over to the bird. Absently, she noticed that sunlight was starting to leak down through the leaves and branches.

"Ko-Ko... Chak..." Bron panted incoherently.

"Calm down," Kiara told him anxiously.

Around the bird, the others were gathering. Timon even came over with a large piece of leaf to fan Bron.

_Why the extreme rush to come back?_ Kiara thought as she waited for Bron to calm down. The news of Tanga's return to the family was important, no doubt, but she hadn't expected Tojo and Chaka to return him so quickly, probably without much rest. _Are Tojo and Chaka coming here now to help? Do they want me to bring everyone home to the Pride Lands immediately?_ _Did something happen at home? _Kiara glanced at Tanga. Her daughter's tired face was eager. She then looked at Kenyi, who stared impatiently at his father's messenger. Slowly, Bron was coming around, but not fast enough for everyone waiting with bated breath.

Finally, Bron blurted "Kovu's at Pride Rock!"

There was a collective gasp. Kiara had expected anything _but_ news that Kovu was at Pride Rock.

"Is everyone okay? Tanga said he left the lionesses." She tried not to let her surprise and panic overwhelm her. "Was there a fight?" she asked. "Did anyone get hurt?"

Bron was still trying to catch his breath. He nodded furiously. "Y-yes, yes, yes."

Kiara lowered her ears. Disappointment and anger washed over her. "D'you know who got hurt?" she blurted.

"Tojo said Chaka fought Natin," Bron got out. "Shaman an' Tojo stopped it. That's it."

"Wait... _What?"_

Kiara turned to Tanga, who was frowning deeply, confusion darkening her misty, shocked eyes. Her body was shaking and her nose looked paler.

"No, that can't be... Natin's dead," Tanga went on, a tremor in her voice. "I _saw_ him get trampled!"

Bron shook his head furiously. "No, he's alive..." He then looked from face to face.

"But how?" Tanga exclaimed.

Bron only looked back in confusion. "I'only know what I see. He's alive. I dunno."

Tanga's mouth fell open. Kiara watched as her daughter's mouth moved to form words, but she stayed silent.

Bron nodded, still looking confused. "He's a' Pride Rock. Waitin'. He couldn't come 'cause his leg's badly injured, an' they didn't have time t'wait f'him when Asuma's endangered."

"So they're coming here?" Kiara asked. "Who exactly is coming here?"

"Chaka an' Kovu are comin' here," Bron replied. "With two lionesses."

"...And King Tojo?" Kiara pressed.

Bron shook his head. "Nah, he's stayin' t'watch yer pride."

Kiara cringed, angry. "He knows how much they hate each other! How could he let them travel together? Even having Asuma's safety as a common concern wouldn't stop them from attacking each other. Two lionesses can't stop them."

Bron huffed. "He wouldn't let 'em go if'n he di'n't b'lieve they'd be fine. M'king said that t'me." The bird looked up at Kenyi. "You'd agree?"

Kenyi nodded and looked at Kiara with conviction. "It was obvious he wanted Chaka's tune to change," the young lion said shortly.

Kiara looked away, doubting Kenyi and Bron. They knew Tojo best, but she knew her brother better than them. She was seriously afraid that Tojo had made a grave mistake, and frustration made her feel sick to her stomach.

Tanga moved closer and rested her head on her shoulder. She said quietly, "Mother... it's going to be okay."

Kiara deeply wanted to be hopeful. When she was younger, she never would have dreamed of a day when she didn't look at any situation with optimism. Was it all a part of growing up? Was it part of leadership-playing the role of the one who always had to pay attention and constantly look over their shoulder for everyone else? Was this now part of who she'd become after all she'd been through? Helplessly trying to control what was probably not even remotely controllable?

_When this is all over... what parts of me will be left for me to give, even if everything does turn out fine?_

Bron let out a heavy breath. He was starting to look more like himself. "Th'r on their way. Be here before sunset." He then seemed to notice Timon for the first time and acknowledged his fanning efforts with a nod.

"Good job, Bron," Kenyi stated, his voice as diplomatic as usual. "You've served my father well."

Kiara gave a tight-lipped smile as everyone else praised Bron, too. Unhappily, she thought about how she needed to prepare herself. In less than a day, she would be face to face again with Kovu. She wasn't sure what was more concerning- what she thought she should say to Kovu, or what she thought others expected from her. This mission was about getting her son back safe. Her relationship with Kovu would have to be second priority. What did he think of her now? Did he think she was a bad mother? How much did he know about Asuma and Natin's plan? Had Natin been lying the whole time, conspiring with Kovu?

_There's so many questions I could ask... but as usual, I have no answers to them... This is going to be one very long day..._

"Don't worry, Kiara. After everybody is sorted out, we'll start working on a plan to get Asuma home!"

Absently, Kiara looked down at the smiling, gray-furred meerkat at her paws.

He lifted his small, slightly crooked paw onto her foreleg and stroked her fur comfortingly. "Hey, what doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger, riiigghhht? Eehh? And if Kovu pulls anything again, I won't make Pumbaa hold me back this time."

Out of the corner of Kiara's eye, Tanga started to frown. She asked in a strained voice, "This time?"

Instantly, Kiara felt a twinge in her gut. She turned to her daughter, who had an interrogative look on her tired face, not understanding.

"I need to help Bron find some water. And possibly some food."

Kiara looked over at Kenyi as he crouched down and allowed the small bird to climb up onto his shoulder. The prince was looking to Timon and Pumbaa for help.

"Sure, sure," Timon exclaimed, starting to lead the way into the slowly brightening jungle. "Of course! C'mon, Pumbaa, d'you think you can rustle him up some bugs?"

"Uh, okay," Pumbaa replied, following after Timon and Kenyi while looking over his shoulder at Kiara and Tanga.

"We got grubs, insects with wings, ants, crunchy, slimy..."

Pumbaa and the others melted into the jungle, leaving Tanga and Kiara alone again, sitting side by side. Birds overhead were beginning to call to each other.

After a moment, Tanga cleared her throat and slid her paw so it was up against her mother's. "Can you just tell me everything that you know? Even the things you don't think I want to hear? I'd like to just listen..."

Kiara blinked, looking down at their paws. She felt herself nod.

"Okay."

* * *

_"Hey, Koofrey!"_

_ He didn't need to recall the lioness's name, but Chaka remembered clearly enough that she did her best tormenting when the older lionesses weren't around. He'd never been able to understand why she picked on him so viciously- the most he could guess was that she'd picked up the habit from the meanest of the adults in the pride. Leaving the warrior pride hadn't softened her vicious streak._

_ She came swaggering up to him as he sat on a low hill, watching over the small patch of land the elder lionesses had secured for the runaway lionesses. The elders had it in their heads that if any males thought they wanted to take over their matriarchal pride, they'd see him and think twice about bothering them. A few of the younger lionesses were just down the hill under a tree while the rest of the small pride was away hunting. He was hot and tired._

_ "Sure look pretty and mean up there, Koofrey," the lioness taunted. "If I were a rogue, I might think you were one of those beautiful maned lionesses."_

_ When Chaka stood up, he towered over her. "Leave me alone, or else-"_

_ She snorted. "You've got no follow-through. Everybody knows it. That's why nobody wanted you as a soldier."_

_ Chaka snarled, his muzzle creasing. "You know they didn't want me to train because I'm an outsider." He then took a step closer and started to work up a wad of spit._

_ "Exactly!" She grinned and a cruel glint sparked in her eye. She took a step closer, too. "Gee, I don't know where you came from, but they didn't keep a good eye on you... maybe they asked you to run away?"_

She doesn't know what she's talking about. She's just running at the mouth.

_"And as an outsider," she taunted further, taking a step closer, "what do you think about us lions, hmm? All creatures are below lions because we rule them, but a snake wouldn't even kiss the ground you walk-"_

_ Chaka's wad of spit struck her on the cheek. He watched, smirking, as she lowered her head and rubbed a paw over the glistening spot on her fur._

_ The lioness's nose twitched in disgust. "What the-" She looked stunned, then furious when she realized what was smeared on her cheek. "Why you- I'm gonna give you one chance to grovel at my paws for mercy before I rip out your throat!"_

_ Chaka frowned. "No. If snakes won't kiss the ground I walk on, why should I grovel at your filthy paws? Get a life."_

_ The lioness bared her teeth and the fur along her spine raised. "When I'm done with you, you're gonna wish you hadn't said that."_

_ Chaka had flinched, starting to feel regret coming on. He'd seen her torture out prey animals just for the fun of it. Just when an apology started to form on Chaka's tongue, another lioness arrived, walking calmly with her head high. "Leave him alone already. We're on our own now, and we need everyone to work as a team. You heard the elders."_

_ The lioness had used every muscle in her face just to roll her eyes. "They're called elders for a reason, Fola. Their ideas are out of date, and soon, they'll be dead. Then we can do what we want."_

_ "What we want might not line up with what we need," Fola replied evenly. "And what you need right now is to leave him alone now. I'm not gonna tell you twice."_

_The lioness coughed a laugh. "Ha! Why would I listen to you? I'd rather crack a tooth than listen to you say one syllable."_

_ Poker-faced, Fola took the insult. "Hmm."_

_ The lioness narrowed her eyes, waiting for more. "That's it? Pffft... Really? Well, if I can't pick on your boyfriend anymore, or get you to rise to a taunt I'm out of here." With a shrug, the lioness turned to go, her gait easy-going and light. "See ya, Koof-"_

_ A flash of fur in Chaka's peripheral vision was all the warning he had before Fola moved from his side to the lioness's exposed back. Chaka's eyes had widened, watching Fola use all her weight to force the lioness to the ground before slashing her claws over the other lioness's lips, catching part of her gums in the process. Screaming bloody-murder at the top of her lungs, Fola's victim wriggled to get free, but Fola didn't let her go until she'd whispered something in the girl's ear. Teary-eyed, the lioness was then released and ran away with her tail tucked between her shivering legs._

_ Panting, Fola looked over her shoulder at him. "I'm gonna be punished for that," Fola said evenly. She then offered a thin-lipped smile. "She won't bother you again."_

_ Chaka looked away. He hadn't needed to hear that. He wasn't sure what was worse... that Fola was going to be punished, or that he'd needed someone to act for him. "Right..."_

"Are we being followed?"

Suki's question broke into Chaka's thoughts. Behind him the rest of the group had stopped and turned around. Kovu was squinting his eyes at the shifting splotch of brown in the distance. A stiff breeze whipped up his dark mane and swirled a cloud of dust around his head. The dark-furred lion's ears went back, a look of hostility crossing his face.

_Are those...?_

Chaka sighed in irritation when he realized who was following them. "Scavengers. Looks like a gang of them."

"Fan-tastic," Muna muttered.

As much as Chaka was enticed by the opportunity to tear into a pack of scavengers, he thought better of it.

_I'm not alone out here, and I'm expected to be somewhere by day's end. I can't be so reckless anymore._

He turned away. "Just stay alert." Chaka started walking, but realized the others attention was still on the scavengers. "C'mon," he urged. "They'll give up after a mile."

"What if they don't?" Suki spoke up. "We can't lead them to the oasis."

Chaka frowned. "But we can't afford to be injured, and it would be a waste of time."

Suki lowered her ears. "But... what about the meerkats?"

Muna nodded, although hesitantly. "The girl has a point. Hunger can make anyone desperate enough. If they follow, and if you care if those scavengers pillage the oasis, we'll only create more problems for ourselves that will have to be resolved."

"There'll be problems either way," Chaka argued, trying to keep his tone neutral, but knew he wasn't keeping himself in check when Muna's mouth turned down slightly.

The merciless sun was beating down on his head and back, burning his paws, which were no longer used to touching blistering sand and cracked earth. The very last thing he wanted to do was to make a trivial decision like this, but time would soon make the decision for them. Disgruntled, Chaka glanced over at Kovu, only half-seeking the lion's opinion. As if sharing the same mindset, Kovu almost immediately looked down at his paws, resigning himself to no opinion at all, it seemed.

"We can't stand here all morning," Muna spoke up.

Chaka frowned at her.

_A diffuser sent in Tojo's place? More like a dry tinder..._

"What?" Muna shot back. "I don't want to get hurt, either, but what choices do we have?" She then jutted her chin at Kovu. "Do you have any ideas? C'mon. Don't be shy. We've got nothing."

"Well..."

Chaka turned his attention back to the stupid scavengers. They were getting closer, and he guessed that the group was mostly made up of wild dogs.

_Maybe the ancestors will smite them all with lightning,_ Chaka thought bitterly, his lips curling back slightly.

"...What if we charged them? It would be better than letting them chase us down, leading them to the oasis, or standing here. They might think twice if we face them."

"There. Was that so hard? Now we have one more idea than we did before."

"It's a dumb idea..." Chaka muttered under his breath. Without really meaning to, he glanced at Suki and tried hard not to imagine what the scavengers might do to her, or even Muna. He wasn't sure at all of Muna's background, and even if Suki had grown up in the Outlands, he wasn't confident of the odds.

He then heard Suki mutter, "We can't out run them."

Chaka frowned at three other lions. "Are you seriously waiting for me to make a decision?" he snapped. "Because nobody seems to want to listen to me anyway."

Muna rolled her eyes. "And here I've been assuming the whole time that Suki was leader."

Suki frowned. "I didn't come along to be beat on. And be nicer to Chaka."

"It was a _joke_. Pridelanders..."

Chaka turned his head again and shifted his hot paws. He growled under his breath. The scavengers were getting closer and closer. They were now even in earshot and he could hear them hollering. His skin crawled and his heartbeat quickened. The scavengers were practically begging to be killed now... but he couldn't.

_And now we've run out of time to run. We have to fight now._

"Now is not the time to be jok-"

"Fine! We're gonna charge them," Chaka interrupted Suki as she bickered with Muna. Chaka tried not to look at Kovu and instead tried to stay focused on Suki and Muna. Inwardly he sighed. "We stick together," he blurted. "Be aggressive. Don't try to be a hero. Okay? This shouldn't be hard for four adult lions."

He waited for them to all nod.

"Okay, let's go." He turned and started to lead the way at a quick clip.

_This better work!_ Chaka clenched his jaw as he picked up the pace.

The others were right behind him. As they drew closer, picking up their group pace, Chaka counted thirteen gang members. The group was made up of wild dogs except for two hyenas, a beat-up-looking caracal, and a jackal.

Chaka ground his teeth. _I guess if Timon and Pumbaa can come together and be friends, why not have a group like this sorry excuses for predators._

The lions kept running. Getting closer. Muna and Kovu roared as they started sprinting towards the gang that was sure to break up as soon as one of the members broke away from the others...

Then Chaka's eyes opened in surprise. Nobody in the gang turned and bolted. They kept coming, starting their own warrior calls.

One of the wild dogs cried out, "Stay-!"

* * *

"-Together!"

Kovu's eyes widened as the gang surged forward, rushing straight at Suki. When he saw Suki falter and drop back, he skidded to a stop, extended his claws, and lowered his head, preparing to take the first opportunity he got to catch one of the attackers.

Muna, who was closest to Suki, doubled back and jumped on one of the wild dogs, who yelped and tried to twist around to bite her face before she bit down on its head. Kovu moved to help the lionesses, but he was distracted when he heard the cackle of a hyena as it charged directly at him. He turned just in time to stun it with a blow to its temple. The hyena stumbled back, but two wild dogs were waiting for their fallen companion to roll out of their way, waiting for their turn to attack him with huge grins on their dark brown muzzles.

Kovu bared his teeth at them, lowering his head again and trying to stay light on his toes by shifting his weight.

"We ain't eaten in a week," one of the wild dogs sniggered. "And all we need is one of you!"

The creases on Kovu's muzzle deepened. He hissed, "You're gonna wish _didn't_ follow us!"

But, before Kovu could react, Chaka let out a roar and rammed head long into one of the wild dogs, catching the hyena who was still standing behind them by surprise. Kovu watched as they rolled around, legs thrashing at the air, howling in distress. The hyena scramble to her paws, but the wild dog went limp. A grimace on its pinched face indicated that Chaka's attack had probably broken a few of its ribs. It wouldn't be getting up any time soon. Chaka didn't even hesitate before leaping onto the back of the shocked hyena. The big lion bit down hard into its neck, bearing down on the much smaller creature with the weight of his whole body.

"Here's to you never harassing a lion again!" Chaka hollered, a smile on his face.

Kovu wasn't a stranger to death by any means, but the way Chaka laughed as he crushed the life out of the hyena made him feel light headed, especially after the lion had protested the defense attack so readily.

"Grrraaaahhh!"

A wild dog stretched her neck to snap at Kovu's front leg. Even though he'd been distracted for a moment, her teeth closed on nothing when Kovu jumped to the side. He then bounced on his paws and came back at the wild dog, sticking out his paw to sweep her off her feet. The wild dog stumbled a bit and grunted with a loud curse. When Kovu unbalanced her completely by using his other paw to strike her shoulder, she fell onto her side. Her legs moved frantically, but Kovu easily had her. Panting, Kovu pressed his paw down on her throat. His claws dimpled the dogs's flesh. He was about to press his full weight downward when he felt a sharp pain on his hip. He turned and saw the caracal standing behind him, teeth bared in a mean hiss. It had scratched him, but there was something in its eyes that made him smirk inwardly.

"Are you sure you want to fight me?" he asked the small, brown-furred cat. He pressed down a bit on the wild dog's throat, just enough for her to let out a strangled squeak. Kovu's ears swiveled back when he heard another animal cry out as Chaka issued another roar. Kovu thought it was the jackal who had been caught. Muna and Suki roared as well.

The caracal's fur-tipped ears flickered and its eyes narrowed. After a moment, it started to back away before turning and fleeing the scene.

"That's what I thought," Kovu muttered as he raised his paw, releasing the wild dog. She laid there, stunned, until she received a sharp bite to her haunch and dashed off.

_They're just a bunch of stupid scavengers with egos too big for their small brai-_

"Rrraaahhhh!"

Kovu tensed and turned around. Muna had been the one who'd roared, and this time he could plainly hear pain in her cry. The seven remaining gang members, six dogs and one hyena, had concentrated around the two lionesses, and Chaka was struggling to help. The look on Chaka's face had even changed, from a look of excited blood-lust to genuine distress. Kovu roared and charged at the scavengers. With his jaws, he grabbed the hind leg of the first one he came to. He could hear the wild dog's bones and tendons pop and snap as he flung it over his shoulder like a doll. He looked back long enough to see it limping away. When Kovu turned to face another wild dog that had turned to him, its mottled lips pulled all the way back so every pink-tinged tooth was visible, he didn't expect Chaka's paws to quickly shoot out to grab onto the side of the dog's head. The dog squealed as a look of horror replaced the black hatred in its beady eyes.

"C'mon here!" Chaka snarled gutturally before making quick work of the unfortunate beast.

Kovu again had to shake off his own personal horror, thankful that Chaka was taking his frustration out on the scavengers and not him. He could now see that Muna and Suki were fighting so close together that their sides were nearly brushing. So far they were making a good team, but not good enough. Trying to act faster, Kovu drove his teeth into the shoulders of one wild dog and the remaining hyena. The wild dog ran, but the hyena turned long enough to unwisely snarl at Kovu before leaping at Suki, who snarled and batted at its face. The hyena only faltered, unfazed by the lack of physical power behind the young mother's strike. It readied for another attack

_I've had enough of this!_

Kovu narrowed his eyes and roared before he jumped the hyena. He gripped it by its shoulder blades and sunk his teeth into the back of its neck, using all his strength to try to break its neck. Only when he shook his head violently from side to side did the hyena finally fall to the ground in a spasming heap.

"Go on!" Muna started shouting. "Go lick your wounds!"

_Is it over?_

Kovu stood up with the dying hyena at his paws. He turned and looked around until he spotted, running with their tails between their legs and yelping pitifully, two dark figures that were dashing off into the desert.

"Was that it?" Chaka called out. He stood over the crumbled body of a wild dog. Almost playfully, he pulled back its head, which lolled back limply, totally unresponsive.

Kovu looked around. Everybody was panting hard. Blood painted their chests, paws, and muzzles. Kovu counted the dead: the jackal, both hyenas, and four dead wild dogs. From the look of Chaka, with blood practically up to his eyebrows, Kovu was sure that he'd done most of the actual killing, and he looked pleased with himself.

Chaka started to laugh, attracting everyone's attention. The grisly laugh started as a low rumble before growing to a full chuckle.

Muna, with a fresh gouge on her cheek, frowned in distaste. "What's _so_ funny?"

"I think they thought they could eat one of us," he laughed, grinning proudly as if he'd just caught his first kill. "That's what one of them said to Kovu." The big lion then turned his attention to him. Still laughing, he said, "Right?"

Kovu nodded nervously, unsure if he should laugh, too, at Chaka's dark joke. "Yes. They hadn't eaten for a week... It made them stupid. They should try living in the Outlands."

Chaka's grin widened, which was both a good thing, Kovu thought, and a bad thing, considering the amount of blood on his teeth. The blood only reminded Kovu of what the big brute had done to Natin.

"Are you okay, Suki?"

"I-I'm fine..."

Kovu and Chaka both looked towards the lionesses. Muna, with her straight expression back on her face, was looking Suki over.

"You'll be fine. You'll have that nick in your ear until you die, though," Muna remarked.

"Your ear is hurt?"

The humor in Chaka's voice was sucked out and replaced with concern, and this caught Kovu's attention. He watched as Chaka tentatively approached the two lionesses and frowned at Suki's ragged, bloody right ear. A good chunk was missing.

"If Muna hadn't been there," Suki explained, "I think they would've overwhelmed me. I'm glad I just have this notch in my ear."

Kovu watched Chaka's frown deepen and his eyebrows arch. He started to draw closer to Suki, started to lift a paw, but stopped himself and instead lifted his nose and sight up at the sky. "Well, we succeeded in keeping those idiots away from the oasis." He then smiled at Muna before also smiling at Suki. "The meerkats are safe."

Suki smiled back at Chaka. "Won't they be happy when you say how you protected them?"

Chaka shrugged and shifted his weight. He looked around at the dead bodies that encircled their group. "It was nothing more than a game."

To Kovu's ears, Chaka's words didn't sound as boastful as he might have expected, and as he watched, the more Chaka seemed to frown in disgust at the bodies that were on the ground, and the more uncomfortable he appeared to be with the amount of blood on his body. Finally, Chaka called for the group to resume their trek and started off at a brisk jog without glancing at the kills he'd so proudly stood over just moments before.

_What's going through his mind?_

Leaving the scavengers to the ones already starting to circle overhead, Kovu followed behind Muna and Suki. As they jogged along, he alternated his attention between Suki and Chaka, trying to analyze the depth of whatever relationship they had.

_I think I'm starting to see why Tojo wanted Suki with us..._

* * *

**(A/N: Hope the wait was worth it! I tried to put in a lot of character development and backstory content.)**


	42. Repairing Words with Meaning

**(A/N: Back with an update! Everyone's just about back together. Wonder how this will go. :))**

Sinking down from the sky like a heat-dried leaf, Tojo's messenger met them by the oasis's edge. Bron hopped onto Muna's shoulder and directed them through a muggy-aired thicket of mossy trees and damp earth to a clearing where Kiara and the others were. Before entering, Bron called them to a stop.

"Wait here." Bron hopped from Muna's shoulder to the ground and fluttered off through the trees.

Kovu stared at the ground and heaved a sigh that made Chaka glance his way. Kiara and Tanga's reactions were unpredictable. Heart throbbing rapidly, Kovu closed his eyes to steel his nerves.

_If I can apologize to Chaka, I think I can survive this, too._

When they were called to move through the foliage, Kovu's eyes widened at how the pale gray light filtering through the leaves over his head gave an edge to Timon and Pumbaa's aged faces. The edge to Tanga's face, too, was startling. After Chaka embraced Tanga and told her how he was glad she'd returned safely, they all formed a rough misshapen circle in the middle of the clearing. The only stiff words spoken at first were business related. Kiara was shielded on her sides by her daughter, Timon, Pumbaa, Suki, and Chaka. Muna sat with Kenyi, and Kovu sat nearest to them. Kovu tried ignoring the suffocating mood of exhaustion and impatience, and imagined himself looking down at the ring of weary predators from the canopy like one of the small animals he could smell but not see, as he helped Chaka relay their side of things.

_I can't stand how Timon is glaring at me. Kiara won't even look my way. Why'd I kill Sauda? Why'd I abandon Asuma and Tanga when Natin was dying? This situation could go so many ways... but we have one thing in common- helping Asuma._

Then Tanga filled them in on her side of things. When finished, her voice was sharp and determined, her chin raised. "I can lead the way back in the direction I came." She spoke up after everyone for the most part was caught up on matters… matters that excluded Kovu's dreams and the way in which Natin had survived the stampede. Tanga had visibly perked up when she'd heard of Natin's survival and when she'd heard that the threat of being attacked by the lionesses had been real. "Asuma needs everyone's help now. I'm sure everyone understands..." Then the words tumbled from her mouth. "After everything he'd done I thought he was lying to me but he was only trying to keep me safe when I thought he was being cruel and I couldn't stand it anymore and left. I-"

"It's all right," Kovu assured her, shaking his head sympathetically. "If you'd stayed, the lionesses would've found you, and there would be no help. Asuma knew what he was doing. You did nothing wrong."

Tanga blinked. He was the last creature she wanted comfort from. "If you hadn't..." She trailed off, clearly angry. Her head turned.

Kovu lowered his ears guiltily. He muttered, "I know and I'm sorry. I should've controlled myself."

She muttered back harshly, "Tell _Asuma_ that when we find him."

Kovu's face flushed. _Did I expect openness…?_ _Did I give _any_ thought to how she'd treat me, or was I too focused on Kiara? The secrets are out now, she's seen me in action, and has no reason to fake adoration like before. _He recalled Natin saying that she'd begged him to understand that talking and forgiving were better than killing. Something had gotten through, since Natin had done nothing but talk. Now he wondered if Tanga could ever live by her own words again, even if she did not depend on murder to solve her problems. She was hurting for her brother and mother and sympathizing with their traumas-that much he was certain of. For now, he wasn't her ally, much less her father.

Kiara moved her paw closer to Tanga's, letting them touch as they sat side by side. At this, Tanga gave her mother an unreadable glance that possibly expressed gratitude.

_At least it looks like she's made up with her mother somewhat after having the truth hidden from her..._

"-first priority is to _find_ Asuma." Chaka's voice burst through Kovu's thoughts. "Tanga, are you strong enough to guide us back to the last place you saw Asuma?"

"No less than you today after fighting off those scavengers." Regardless, Tanga glanced inquiringly at her mother, who remained silent with an anxious and slightly apprehensive expression, before she looked at the ground and replied, her tone resolute, "I want to find him. He can't just stay out there alone..." Her eyes then went to her father. "He has to come home. His life isn't out there even if he thinks he's got one."

A hot wave of embarrassment rushed up Kovu's neck and filled cheeks.

"He will come home," Chaka stated matter-of-factly. "There's no more ghosts for him to chase in the wilderness. He's made his point."

_Yes, he certainly has... I guess I can't fault him for sticking to his convictions for so long... It seems that nobody has been able to change his mind really... that could be a problem when we find him..._

Tanga was nodding. "We have Asuma's reason for leaving."

Kovu looked forward, into space, forcing himself to retain his composure. He felt like bait. He was thankful when Muna spoke up, taking the conversation away from his daughter and Chaka.

"When do we start?" Her tone was diplomatic.

"How tired are you?" Kiara asked, speaking for the first time. "I know time is working against us, but..."

"We could leave between mid-night and dawn," Muna replied. "I think that'd be best."

Kiara nodded, though the glint in her wide brown eyes made her seem anxious. "That seems fair..."

Kovu swallowed hard.

_I'm sorry you're going through this, Kiara... I must be causing her so much discomfort..._

Very lightly, Suki cleared her throat. She remarked softly, "With everyone working together, we'll find Asuma and help him. The Great Kings are looking after him. They'll help us."

Kovu looked at his paws, and everyone else did the same. He wondered if prayers and pleadings were being sent to their ancestors for the missing prince. The Council had sworn they'd help as much as they could... but so far even though he'd been able to warn his son and in turn his daughter, Asuma had practically rushed to meet the lionesses; and, even though his nephew had protected him, Natin had been injured so that all he was good for was running at the mouth. Kovu was trying his best to fix the situation, but every gift from the Council had made the situation worse. He truly hoped the ancestors had something better in mind...

_But..._ Kovu then thought, _Maybe the problem of freewill and their limited ability to predict the future really was why they were hesitant to do anything... and they were trying to warn me, and I didn't understand that at all... Is that it? Is that partly why little has work out?_

"-anyone needs to hunt," Kiara was saying, "please pay attention to your surroundings. The meerkats know we're here, so be respectful of them."

"They'll be grateful when they hear how they were protected today." Timon grinned at Chaka, who gave a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "They _hate_ scavengers!"

The others started to move around. Stomach growling at the mention of hunting, Kovu watched Muna and Kenyi talk for a moment before Kenyi took off alone. Tojo's messenger stayed with Muna. The others formed a small group and talked briefly before Chaka left alone as well. Suki followed him with her eyes, but didn't move. Kiara was also surrounded by Timon, Pumbaa, and Tanga, and they talked quietly among themselves.

"Don't just stare at her all evening."

Kovu jumped. Muna had moved to his side. She had a smirk on her muzzle, her eyes were half-hooded, and her head was tilted to the side. Bron was sitting tiredly on her shoulder.

Through pursed lips she said, "Go talk to her."

He whispered back probably too sharply, "No, I can't."

"Well, word is... you're making apologies to those you've wronged," she replied in an almost conspiratorial tone. She even leaned in a little.

Kovu raised a brow. "Huh...? Word from who?"

"I overheard you talking with Tswane when you first arrived. And when you were making your good-bye's to Natin, Chaka was muttering about traveling with someone who'd made one unbe_liev_able apology to him."

Kovu sighed. "Does that mean unbelievable-crazy... or unbelievable-didn't-think-I-was-being-honest?"

"Who'm I to say?" Muna half-smiled and shrugged. "I don't know enough about pridelander business, but I've heard stories... epics, really..." She then gestured with her eyes to Kiara. "She does what? Say no? She looks like she wouldn't trade an apology for blood. Unlike Chaka."

"I doubt my daughter would appreciate it."

"Well, you can apologize to her later, too."

"It's... more complicated than that."

Muna shrugged. "Fine. Talk to her. Don't talk to her. You won't be making the most of what could be the last peaceful moment we have for a while."

Kovu grimaced. He hadn't expected to find any amount of companionship on his mission to bring his son home; yet, here he was, talking to someone who he'd only known existed for hardly two days. Having Suki around hadn't been a bad thing, either, but she'd kept her distance from him and had stuck closer to the more familiar Chaka. Kovu didn't know why Muna kept bothering to talk to him, probably as a favor to Tojo, but he was grateful for it, and she was right... the worst Kiara could do was to tell him to leave her alone, which he'd already successfully done. Unfortunately, he could consider the unhappy look on Kiara's face more promising than the scowl on Tanga.

"Just be cool about it. You're encouraged face looks a bit creepy."

Kovu shot Muna a glare. "What does that mean?"

She rolled her eyes. "Hey, when you normally look sulky or pissed, hopefulness can, well, look... odd."

"Don't you have a filter?" Kovu hid a smirk as he looked over to where Kiara was standing with Suki and Tanga. Timon and Pumbaa had disappeared.

"Life's too short to be shy."

Kovu heaved a sigh. "If you insist, I guess..."

His heart was racing as he walked up to Kiara. Tanga saw him first and whispered something into Kiara's ear, causing all three lionesses to turn to him. His paws were heavy and he begged himself not to trip on them. He stopped in front of them and saw Kiara try to smile while she swallowed hard. Tanga and Suki, who flanked her, watched him. Tanga's gaze on its own was plain aggressive.

_She couldn't protect her brother from me so now she'll do everything to protect her mother._

"C-could we talk...? If it's not too much to a-ask..." He hated how his voice shook. The trembling sound sent him back to the nightmare with Asuma when he'd called him a coward. He felt the strain on his eyes while he kept eye contact.

A corner of Kiara's mouth pulled down uneasily and her body seemed to shrink up a little. "Well, I was going to hunt with Suki…"

"It's okay, Kiara," Suki spoke up unexpectedly, glancing apprehensively at Kovu. "Tanga can help me. We won't be gone long." At this, she gave Kovu a timid warning look.

_Is she actually on my side? Or does she know Kiara has something to say to me?_

Kiara looked more worried when she heard this, and Kovu's chest tightened further. Disappointment. He wouldn't _force _Kiara to talk to him, but he had to speak with her, even if all he said sorry. He looked at his paws.

"Mother, maybe you should wait to talk," Tanga remarked, giving Suki an almost mutinous look. "You've got other things to worry about."

Kiara looked from her daughter to Kovu two times, obviously caught in a mental debate.

Finally, Suki stood up, almost bouncing on her toes. "C'mon, Tanga, help me find something?" Suki asked, starting to walk away.

Tanga hesitated, frowning at Suki before meeting Kiara's gaze, making sure that she was all right. "Mom?"

For a second Kiara looked like she was having second thoughts. "It's fine. Go hunt," Kiara finally replied, smiling a little. "We should get... this out of the way."

Tanga gave her father a look of warning.

"I just have a couple things to say," Kovu assured her, keeping his voice level.

Tanga was dubious. "Ooookaaay..." she said, however, before following Suki into the jungle.

Now Muna was the only one left. She was grooming herself. Kovu didn't know when Kenyi or Chaka would return. Not looking Kiara in the face to make her more nervous, he asked, "Do... do you want to talk here or somewhere quieter? I just have a few things to say."

Kiara blinked and nodded. "Yeah... ummm... I'd rather have some privacy... This way." She turned and started to lead the way. He heard her heave a shaky breath.

Kovu swallowed, his heartbeat starting to quicken again. _Great Kings... If nothing else goes well... don't let me say anything stupid to make this worse..._

* * *

"Tanga, are you okay?"

Tanga was concentrating on the ground, trying not to trip on roots or small ferns. She nearly bumped into Suki, who was walking ahead of her. Looking up tiredly, Tanga saw the worried arch of Suki's brows.

Tanga's last time seeing Suki had been from below Pride Rock, when she'd been put in charge of helping Neo. Familiar irritation set in, and Tanga was reluctant to confide in Suki.

"I'm fine," Tanga replied, hoping that Suki would be too considerate to press further.

"Okay..." Suki said uncertainly, but nodded and halfway turned around. She perked her ears and started to listen to the jungle, shifting on her paws.

Pretending to listen, too, Tanga couldn't get her mind off her mother and father. She hadn't been able to since the conversation with her mother after Bron had brought his news back from home. Her mother couldn't have looked any less ready to face Kovu. Had Suki thought nothing about encouraging them to talk? Tanga was surprised Kovu'd had enough guts to come over- although, his nervousness had been obvious. In the moment, her frustration with him had completely overshadowed the flame she'd tended in hope that he'd return to sanity, morality, and honor. Now that it appeared he had returned, she was unsure what to think...

_ How much did I build up that flame to begin with when I was busily yelling and cramming my morals down throats?_

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Blinking, Tanga turned to Suki. "Yes." She had to stop herself from gritting her teeth. "I am fine, Suki. Let's just hunt."

Suki lowered her ears and murmured, "Tanga... you don't seem fine..."

Tanga frowned, but Suki didn't look away. As the moment drew on, Tanga noticed how Suki had a quiet strength about her. She recalled how when the other lionesses in their pride came back from hunting, Suki had never uttered a bragging word; since the upheaval, Suki hadn't made the mistake of giving her the strange, vaguely sympathetic, unexplainable look that some of the others had given her; and although Suki had come from the same war-torn pride as Kovu, even though she'd been young when the merge had occurred, she didn't seem to have one mean bone in her body.

Now that she had Tanga's attention, Suki lifted her chin a little.

"I am fine," Tanga repeated less stubbornly.

Suki's face softened. Quietly, she asked, "Would you listen to some advice?"

Tanga sighed, but nodded.

"You can be mad at your father like everyone else," she said, but then shook her head, "but you can't let them see it."

Tanga raised a brow. "Well, how else is he supposed to know?" she scoffed, half-joking.

_Now I'm starting to sound like Natin, too? I wonder how he's doing... How he was able to let Father bring him home... he must have been in terrible shape..._

"You didn't appear very... dignified... during the meeting." Suki gave Tanga a brief, disapproving look. "I mean no disrespect, Tanga," she added calmly, "but you are a princess... and you should lead by example..."

She hadn't talked to Suki much in the past- let alone listen to her give a lecture. Since Kovu had left home, Suki had just been a presence at her mother's side. "Do you really think anyone is looking to me for anything?" Tanga asked, bitter. She looked at her paws. This felt like something her mother should have been talking to her about.

Suki was nodding. "Of course they are... And anger isn't in short supply around here..." Suki looked away and sighed. "I wish there was less of it."

Tanga tilted her head to the side, thinking of what her mother had mentioned about Chaka. So far, he hadn't acted any differently than before she'd left, but now she had to wonder and would have to watch. She realized how much it had disappointed her to hear that Chaka was acting so pettily... even though she understood him completely.

"When Asuma needed his family, I shouldn't have asked Kiara to have you help me with Neo," Suki remarked regretfully. "I didn't know... But right now... we need your help to rebuild our pride." Her voice grew in strength. "Do you understand? Please understand. _You are_ our next generation."

Tanga was taken aback. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt like a princess, let alone ever feeling like she was being looked to as a _leader_. She closed her mouth, which had fallen open. Guilt reared up inside her almost like a reflex, and her ears lowered. She suddenly felt like a hot beam of sunlight had fallen on her, taking her out of the shadows.

_"Tell _Asuma_ that when we find him... We have Asuma's reason for leaving."_

_What did Mother think of me when I said that... what would Grandmother Nala, or even Great-Grandmother Sarabi think? I told myself that I need to grow up, but I've been too upset to do so... I wish I didn't feel so resentful... I wish..._

Suki finally looked away and shifted on her paws again. "I thought that was something you should hear..." The breath she huffed through her teeth puffed out her cheeks. "Only you know how you feel about what's happened to you... I can't say." She shrugged, almost embarrassed as her energy dimmed. She looked exhausted now. "I just wanted you to hear it." She raised her paws and lowered her head to anxiously rub and clean her torn ear.

Cringing when Suki winced, Tanga felt one corner of her mouth pull down. She half-muttered, "Don't... don't feel bad, Suki. I... can tell you didn't mean to make me feel worse..." She looked down and started pawing at a thin, brown vine that snaked over the ground between them. It felt rough and solid against her paw pads. "I'll... try to be more... dignified."

Eyes widening in relief, Suki left her ear alone and beamed happily. She dipped her head forward once. "I've heard the stories about your grandmother. Sometimes you remind me of Nala... a lot, actually."

The compliment lifted Tanga's mood a little. "I miss her a lot..." she said, then added, speaking hesitantly, "When you said the Great Kings were going to help us... do you really think someone is looking out for Asuma? Like... my grandfather and grandmother?"

Suki beamed again. "Of course. They'll always be there to guide us."

Tanga looked to the side. She still wasn't sure what to think. She did really hope someone was looking out for her brother, though. He needed it.

_When we find him, I'm never leaving him behind again._

She looked up, expecting to find stars. Instead she saw a shifting ceiling of leaves.

"Tanga, are you ready to hunt?"

Tanga lowered her gaze. Suki was heading deeper into the jungle, and the worried expression was back on her face.

"Yeah, let's go find you something to eat." Tanga smiled, walking forward. When Suki turned away, walking, Tanga's smile faded and she looked back over her shoulder. She hated how at times the jungle was so thick she couldn't see past her nose; she could see for miles on the savannah. Her mother and father were somewhere in there.

_I really hope Suki didn't push you to it too soon, Mother..._

* * *

Awkwardness penetrated Kiara's overwrought and drooping body. Self-conscious, restless Kovu wouldn't look at her unless he had to, and for no longer than he had to, but she was as guilty of avoidance as he was. They sat across from each other, not too far away from the clearing, but definitely out of earshot. Kiara's stomach was wrestling her heart and her mind. Her mouth made her think she'd gone without water for days, even though she'd shared a small puddle a few moments before with Kovu. He'd greedily drained the puddle, and she'd been close enough to glimpse scratches he'd gotten from the scavengers he'd fought that afternoon. Night was starting to hang in the darkening branches. At that moment, she realized that she was threatened by what was possibly in his heart… but knew she was clueless to what was there unless he spoke. One water drop clung to one of his whiskers as he told her everything that had happened since they'd last seen each other.

"...so... I'm sorry I was a disappointment... I didn't mean to inflict pain... but that's what ended up happening. I am sorry."

Kiara heard the words coming from his mouth and understood most of them... but the parts of his long story that he'd hidden from the others confused her... His apology provoked both a lump to form in her throat, rendering her mute, and rolling visions of the last time they'd been face to face...

_Shrieking... Chaka and Kovu roaring and rolling over and over and I couldn't break them apart... Mother shaking her head, staring Kovu down... saying that I should ask Kovu about what had happened... Kovu glaring at his bloodied paws, not meeting anyone's eye... I really, really didn't wanna ask, but I had to hear it from _his_ mouth. Had to hear that Chaka was the liar and not him... But then he talked about Zira begging forgiveness and how he wanted to prove something to Father-_

Kiara blinked hard. Her muscles were tensing.

_Thinking about all that won't help at all,_ she scolded herself, _so stop it!_

Kovu sniffled. "I know... we aren't like we were when we first met. We've grown up. I don't expect you to care about me anymore. You really didn't turn on me... I-I did just about everything possible to betray your family. I've asked for and taken too much from you already."

She lifted her head slightly when his voice cracked. A small, fragile part of her did care about him, but the other half yelled at her to keep her distance-at least until they found Asuma.

_That could take days... months... years... maybe never..._

"Kiara..." he murmured gently. "I made a mistake. I was stupid and angry..." He paused for a moment, swallowing and blinking. "I couldn't tell you that you'd hurt me in front of everybody. I'm sorry I hurt you and our family... your mother and brother... I gave up too easily on you and our children. But I was just _trying _so _hard_ to protect my family from _her. _From that wretched, murderous creature that didn't deserve to live and ruin every-"

"Shhh..." she whispered, seeing how he clenched his jaws, how his paws shook, how his shoulders broadened and seemed to take on a more menacing posture. "She's not here. She's gone."

Kovu continued grinding his teeth, but his paws stopped shaking. He whispered coldly, "I still can't... what I did to her... Kiara, the details won't fade..."

Her eyes widened. To hate your mother so much you'd turn to murder?

He sighed. "I shouldn't have said anything about that, but..." His shoulders slumped. "Sorry I said anything. I'm sorry I let you down. That's what I wanted to say. I won't keep you." He abruptly stood up, turned away, and started to walk back to the main clearing.

Watching him walk away was harder than it had been to actually listen to him. The words came out quickly before she could pull them from her tongue and toss them back down her throat.

"Kovu, wait a moment?"

He turned back, surprised, and she tried hard not to see him as the very young and very confused lion from the night she'd fallen in love with him... The one who had acted strange when Chaka had returned. The one who'd acted like nothing was wrong when she'd come to him with her concerns about their son's repeating dreams. Kovu should've been in the prime of his life, but his own mistakes had beaten him down.

But she'd made mistakes of her own, too, and she thought he wouldn't mind if she was more than just a pair of ears listening to his apology.

She lowered her eyes. "Can... you listen to me now?"

He nodded slowly, his brows arching in concern. "Yes." He came back and sat in front of her again. "I'll listen."

She hoped the shaking in her limbs wasn't too obvious. _There's so much I need to say to you... There's so many things that I can't share with anyone else. Chaka can't even understand how I fell for you to start, my relationship with Tanga is already too fragile to add to... and I didn't feel like I could burden anyone else..._

"What is it?"

Kiara sighed. "It's been _really_ hard on everyone since you left. Chaka being paranoid. Everyone lying to Tanga. Asuma lost in his own world. Natin causing trouble... My mother wasting away in sadness..." she confessed. She swallowed. "Most of the time I don't know what I'm doing, and I've tried hard, but nothing I do seems to work out, and I don't want to lose our cubs or myself. How can I be a strong leader for others if I'm struggling to be strong for myself?"

He lowered his ears and there was empathy in his eyes. "I'm sorry I've brought this on you, Kiara... Is... is that why Tojo was at Pride Rock? To help you? I mean... I talked to Tswane a little, but I only understood that he and Tojo were concerned about Chaka killing me."

Kiara looked down at her paws. "It's... Kind of... Tojo's helping Chaka, who originally wanted anyone he could get to be a battle ally." Her voice dropped. "I had to beg Tojo to help Chaka with his anger instead. My brother wouldn't listen to me, so I thought he'd listen to another king."

Kovu's voice was quiet. "I'm sorry... I was wondering why Tojo was there and why Chaka was acting so strange around him... Almost like a cub being scolded by his father."

Kiara's head was still lowered when she looked up at Kovu. "Really?" Without meaning to she gave an amused smile.

He nodded, smiling back a little. "Yeah, when we first arrived, you should've seen him when Tswane and Tojo were scolding him for attacking Natin."

Kiara lowered her ears. "Oh."

"Sorry... Sorry, I shouldn't have reminded you about that... It was just surreal and... Natin and I still aren't on the best of terms, especially right now... He doesn't think we'll find Asuma alive."

Kiara flinched.

"Probably shouldn't have said that, either..."

He was trying to comfort her, she could tell, but it didn't feel right. This was too painful. She was tired, and knew Kovu needed the rest, too. There was one thing she knew she needed to ask him.

"Kovu?"

"What is it?"

"Why didn't you come to me when Zira was trying to persuade you? Were you that afraid of me then?"

The corners of Kovu's mouth turned down and he looked away in dread.

Kiara felt a flush of frustration when tears fell from her eyes. She croaked, "Sometimes I feel like I never knew you. Sometimes I think that the others are right; that you are just a monster. I took pride in knowing that you weren't just a monster and that I was the one who understood you. I feel like holding out hope for you is keeping me from being a good daughter, mother, sister... queen... I don't want to be a walking grudge. I know what that does. The pride hasn't let your actions go yet, and I know they hold them against me. I fell for the enemy. I was fooled by the enemy, so shame on me. How can I earn their respect when they disapprove of something that I couldn't and can't help?"

Kovu moved closer, and when she didn't flinch away, he rested his paw on hers. She thought he dared only that much. His muscles were tense, but he offered her a small, apologetic smile. "I couldn't be happier that you held out hope for me... but Kiara... I think... I think..." He pursed his mouth and arched his brows. "If you have to let me go... It's more important that you help your pride and your family than me."

Her breath hitched. At that moment, the idea of letting go was more frightening than knowing what Kovu was capable of.

"Yes, I was afraid of you. I wasn't thinking clearly. I just wanted her gone. I should've come to you immediately, but I didn't. I was only thinking that she had to go away and that Simba had to see that he had nothing to worry about." Kovu paused, wrapped in his own thoughts.

"Tanga asked me if I'd forgiven you," Kiara blurted, and her face immediately flushed.

Kovu blinked and gave a half smile. "She wanted Natin to do the same... and Asuma, too... She's hurting, isn't she?"

Nodding her head, Kiara confessed, "I couldn't protect my cubs from anything... Tanga's not a cub anymore, she's made that clear, but why am I not allowed to keep her from getting hurt or killed? She's still my child. I wish she didn't have to come with us to look for Asuma. She's still recovering."

Kovu pursed his mouth again. "You... You remember how much you hated how your father tried to shelter you. She's recovering no more than the rest of us."

Kiara looked at the ground and sighed and confessed, "Yeah, well, I didn't know what this world could do to someone."

"...Are you thinking of asking her to stay behind? She's our guide, remember? I might be able to be the guide if she gives me directions, but..."

"No." Kiara thought for a moment. "Yes... No-I don't know... Saying no, I doubt, would even slow her down if she wants to help Asuma. And she'll lose even more respect for me...She hated me for lying to her."

"Does she know why you did what you did for her...?"

Nodding, Kiara replied, "Yeah... now, but that didn't make it right. I feel like I keep doing the wrong thing."

"Well... if someone as loving and as brave as you can face a whole river of crocodiles, resist my temptation to run away from home, convince me to race into a battle against Zira, and have the compassion to try and save Zira, I know there's nothing you can't do..."

She looked up at him, her eyes watery. "But what if that's not who I am anymore?"

He gave her a slight smile. "I don't think who _you_ are has changed... I haven't been a very good mate or king to his queen, but you haven't let yourself change, and if you have, it's for the better. I'll help you through this, though I know nothing compares to what we've been through in the past. You're strong and will see this to the end. You're stubborn like that."

Kiara knew what he was saying to her sounded vaguely familiar, and she remembered she'd said something similar to him a day or two before she'd exiled him, when they'd discussed the dry condition of their homelands.

Then Kovu's soft, sympathetic expression became serious. "We'll find Asuma. We will bring our son home. He will be safe again, and we'll help him come to terms with everything. I know he will come out stronger for this, and he will be a good king."

Kiara recognised his honest and honourable attempt to lighten her spirits. She missed their friendship. To her surprise, when she lowered her head, he briefly and sweetly nuzzled the top her head before removing himself once more from her personal space.

"I'm sorry I let my anger and fear take me away from you..."

She lifted her head. Denying that his betrayal hadn't hit her hard would only cripple her further. Was this when she was supposed to forgive him? Like he'd said, they'd both grown up. Holding onto her anger and pain so she wouldn't be hurt again felt... childish.

She took a deep breath. "Kovu, thank you," she began, her voice trembling, "for apologizing..."

_Is that it? I'm just gonna _thank_ him? Can't I just say, 'and I forgive you, too'? What's wrong with me? Don't I know better? It's not like I'll forget what he did..._

Regardless, Kovu seemed happy with her response. He wasn't going to force her into saying those words. He nodded solemnly, and there was a hint of satisfaction in his mood that chipped away at the dominate shadow of unease that he projected.

She gave him a small, sympathetic smile and nodded, too.

_Time I guess will have to work on my heart..._

Kovu broke off eye contact as he stood up. "We should go back... We both need rest and..." he hesitated. "And I need to talk to Chaka about something."

Kiara flinched a little as she stood. Chaka, like Tanga, was barely tolerating Kovu, from what she'd seen. "You have to talk to him?"

He nodded, but didn't explain what needed to be discussed. He wouldn't talk to Chaka unless he really did need to.

She shrugged and started to walk back the way they came. "All right... if you have to. Good luck."

Kovu sighed and rolled his eyes. "Right... I need the luck. _Good_ luck for everything."

* * *

Eager to finish hunting and get back to the clearing, Chaka snatched up the first rainforest rat he saw, tore into it, and dashed back, only to find Muna and Bron alone.

"Where's my sister?"

The look Muna gave him was hard, but her eyes were gentle. "She's with Kovu," she said smoothly. "They're talking. He's apologizing."

Chaka rolled his good eye and shuffled to the other side of the clearing with his head down before he spoke rudely to Muna. Indignation overshadowed his surprise.

Each time leaves rustled, he tensed up. Kenyi brought Muna a huge rat that shamed the rat in Chaka's troubled belly. Suki and Tanga, tongues grooming their muzzles, returned as the light in the clearing dimmed. Chaka knew he needed to sleep, rest up, but he couldn't relax for as long as _he_ was alone with Kiara- probably spilling his guts for all he was worth._ They_ finally returned after what felt like half the night.

He hoped Kiara had just taken the apology.

Paw steps pattering on the ground, they wordlessly settled in for the night. He heard one set stop, but the other set only grew closer and heavier.

"Chaka?"

Chaka opened his eye and frowned, chin on foreleg. He hissed flatly, "What d'you want?"

The resolute expression wavered on Kovu's face, and Chaka guessed he was thinking twice about whatever he wanted to say. But instead of giving up, Kovu stepped closer. He said lightly, "We should talk, don't you think?"

"Didn't we already?"

"We were interrupted."

"She put you up to this?"

Kovu shook his head. "My idea."

Chaka sighed and laid there. When Kovu didn't hurry away, he sat up. "Fine. You wanna talk? Fine with me."

After squinting over his shoulder at the others, Kovu turned back and whispered, "Not here."

Chaka's brow lifted. A corner of his mouth quirked up. "Obviously." He then whispered almost inaudibly,_ "Do you reallllly trust me?"_

To this, straight-faced, Kovu whispered back, "Natin warned me about turning my back on you."

Chaka watched Kovu walk off into the jungle without checking if anyone was following.

_Is this some kind of trick...? Or is he just that stupid...? Or does he just have that much faith in me that I won't just drag him off and..._

Chaka shook his head to stop the last thought from fully forming. He sat up. He couldn't keep thinking that way, but he couldn't resist. He kept thinking that Kovu's behavior was _too_ repentant and_ too _sincere, but as he stared at the spot where Kovu had disappeared, a very small idea infiltrated his suspicion that questioned every move that Kovu made.

_If I want to become more than someone who trips over himself at any chance I get to inflict pain, why can't he change, too?_

Chaka frowned.

_Do I forget that Kovu's head isn't quite right...?_

Not that his was 'quite right' all the time, either.

He looked around before standing up. Kiara was the only one awake, and he glanced down at her as he trotted past her. She opened her eyes and gave him a serious look, one that was probably meant to let him know that, if he acted stupid, he wouldn't be able to talk himself through an acceptable apology. He hesitated for a heartbeat before moving on, keeping his expression neutral and trying to calm his nerves. The fur along his spine started to rise when he walked into the lush foliage and found himself alone.

"Over here," Kovu called just loud enough for Chaka to hear.

Frowning, Chaka followed the sound. He crept quietly, his posture on alert. A pensive looking Kovu was sitting a few lengths away in a small clearing, eyes on his paws. Trying to banish his edginess, Chaka smirked at Kovu as he stood facing the rogue.

"So here we are." Chaka looked above him at the dark canopy of leaves. "Unbelievable, wouldn't you say?"

Kovu nodded in the dim light.

Chaka sat down with a soft grunt. His legs were sore, and the tender scratches on his body itched. "So why'd you wake me up?"

Kovu rolled his eyes, seeing through Chaka's lie, but making no remark about it. "The search starts tomorrow." He turned his head, his profile thoughtful. "We don't know what or _who_ we're gonna find. We should talk about what we might do if the worst happens."

"What we do if we can't help entering a violent situation, you mean? With the lionesses?"

Kovu nodded again. "They'll tear us apart..."

"Maybe just you," Chaka quipped, but then heard his voice turn serious. "We can't bring that on the others. I know."

"They aren't fighters. Muna maybe can hold her own, but I don't know about Tojo's son." He grimaced. "Now that's all we need... to kill two lions from Tojo's pride _and_ have no leaders for Pride Rock."

"Natin's still alive," Chaka remarked casually, watching Kovu's worried expression get a little more irritated in the dark.

"We're getting away from the point," Kovu replied. "We need a fail-safe."

_He sure didn't think his fail-safe through when he brought my father to his mother..._

Chaka felt himself tense.

_No... Calm down... Focus. Focus. Focus on the plan and not who you are planning with._

"Kiara mentioned not wanting Tanga to go."

Chaka blinked. "She's our guide. She's needed."

"I know." Kovu shook his head in conflict. "But, she's scared for her."

"Kiara protecting andlyingto Tanga and Asuma was what _made_ this mess. Don't tell me she hasn't learned anything!" _I'm_ _talking to the enemy, and Kiara hasn't changed!_

"Well, I advised her against it. I'd rather not put Tanga in danger," Kovu replied, "but it has to be done. She's our guide and she's upset and she's not going to be told to do anything she doesn't wanna do."

"Oh." Chaka heaved a breath. "Okay, then, back to the fail-safe. Do we have one?"

"Staying alert... running faster than Fola's lionesses...?"

"Not much of a plan."

"You're the one who asked me."

Chaka's lip twitched in irritation. "We've got no fail-safe then."

"Fail-safe is to avoid the lionesses at all costs."

"And what if by chance they've got him and he's alive? What're the chances of that, dream speaker?"

Kovu averted his eyes. For some reason, Chaka was reminded of his first day at Pride Rock, when he'd seen Kovu in the den alone, separated from the rest of his pride, hiding something from the others. He also remembered how miserable Kovu had looked before and during the family meeting. When Kovu spoke, his voice was clear and calm. "Promise me... you'll keep Kiara safe. Whatever happens when we find Asuma. She's really scared for him."

"I said too long ago that all I wanted in return for saving your son from those wild dogs was that I wanted to bring him home safe. The same goes for my sister, his mother. And your daughter."

Kovu blinked. "Thank you..." He nodded, assured. "Even before you knew who they were, you cared about them... Are you worried we might see them?"

Chaka raised a brow. "Who?"

"Sorry... Fola and the others... They were you family after all..."

The sudden question caught Chaka off guard, and it didn't seem to even completely register until Kovu eyed him expectantly. He glowered back. "I know where my loyalties lie if that's what you're gettin' at."

Ears lowered, Kovu muttered, "Er... no, I wasn't."

Chaka relaxed slightly. "Oh..." He inspected the jungle around him, listening for a moment to the night sounds of crickets and frogs. What was Kovu getting at if it wasn't about his loyalties? Was he actually asking a straight question? Finally, he replied, lifting his chin, "Course I'd be _worried_- They're furious and dangerous."

_And don't even think about what Fola would think if she sees whose side I'm on... if she even remembers me..._

"I hope Asuma's all right..."

Kovu was staring at his paws again.

"Natin thinks I'm too optimistic," he confessed quietly, his voice slightly angry. "Maybe he thinks I won't be able to handle the disappointment if..."

Chaka's ears perked up. "If...? What?"

Kovu shifted his weight slightly and looked back up at Chaka, his expression vaguely guilty. "Please know that if... we can't get to Asuma in time, that if I do or say anything stupid, or rash... that I don't mean it."

_"If we can't get to Asuma in time..._

_ "If I do or say anything stupid..._

_ "I don't mean it."_

Chaka narrowed his sight. He ran Kovu's words through his mind again. He said slowly, "I s'pose I'm the last to say that I can't honor that. Even if sometimes I do mean what I do."

"Was growing up with Fola and the others really that bad?"

Even if Kovu had been at the very center of war training, Chaka knew that Kovu was only asking because he'd had a similarly brutal upbringing.

"Hard. That's all I can say, really."

Kovu hesitated. "The Council tried to convince me that I wasn't bad to begin with. I was shaped and beaten until I did what was first nature for Zira... It's hard to undo that, isn't it?"

Chaka's mind blanked, but then restarted with a vengeance. Why the questions? Was Kovu scouring for a weakness- not that Chaka couldn't deal with that with physical strength- or was he trying to understand him and... heaven forbid... relate to him? Chaka bristled. He thought it was an accomplishment just to tolerate Kovu's presence. He knew this reaction wouldn't have gone over well with Tojo. Kovu was still owed an apology.

Chaka's back stiffened. "I won't talk about this. Not with you."

Kovu, slightly crestfallen, didn't argue. "I understand."

Chaka nodded once. "Good. I think we've made as much progress here as we can." He shrugged when he felt a throb of uncertainty in his gut. "I guess we'll have to improvise."

A disgruntled frown creased Kovu's jaw at the last part. "What's the chain of command? We can't fight over a decision like we did in the des-"

"We let Kiara lead," Chaka blurted. "Sound good? And we won't fight over who she listens to, either, right? In fact, our mouths stay shut and we let the lionesses take charge."

Kovu nodded. This would take them both out of the equation and give power to someone who would hesitate to use brute force over cunning.

Chaka beamed at his compromise, but then stopped. _I hope Kiara's up for that much responsibility... it's not like she wouldn't understand why._

"Now we're finished here?"

Chaka nodded and stood up with Kovu. They didn't take their eyes off each other until Kovu led the way back to the clearing. Kovu might have been trusting enough of Chaka, but Chaka didn't share the same sentiment. He did, however, give Kovu the courtesy of walking in his line of vision next to him.

"Do you like Suki?"

Chaka raised his eyebrow. "What? Why would you _ask_ that?"

Kovu still looked forward. A shadow of a smirk. "She jumped at the chance to come and you looked disturbed when she hurt her ear..."

"Don't read into it." Chaka rolled his eye.

"Just curious..." Kovu looked away. "I need something to eat. You go on."

Chaka paused, one paw lifted, and watched Kovu veer off into the jungle. After a moment, Chaka resumed walking, and thinking.

Truthfully, Chaka hadn't really given Suki much thought. He had a cluttered, occupied mind. He liked her, but not in the way he thought Kovu was implying. He did admire how calm she was, how she cared about others, and how she willingly aided his sister when the other lionesses just watched from the sidelines- how couldn't he? But sometimes he wondered if he scared her, and usually when she was helping Kiara, it usually was in a situation that made _him_ into the bad guy- which, granted, wasn't hard, but it didn't help the situation. He'd been surprised when Suki had so eagerly volunteered to leave home after she'd been lying low since her children were away at Tojo's pride. She'd defended and praised him a couple of times. He told himself that she was coming mostly for his sister and her children and, that it was only logical that he be concerned after Suki had been hurt. She was a member of his pride and potentially the mother of a future queen if Asuma was found. His job was to watch out for her.

Everyone in the clearing was still sleeping peacefully. Chaka went to the head of the clearing and laid down on his belly, chin resting on one foreleg. He closed his eyes, hoping that he'd be able to fall asleep quickly after having very little rest over the past two days.

No sooner, though, had he closed his eyes that the others were waking up to begin the hunt for Asuma.

* * *

**(A/N: 5 days ago, this story had it's 3rd "B-day". I just have to say, thanks you guys for hanging on this long! Things are really wrapping up now. In the meantime, I have started classes again, so updates may be a bit slower. I do have a decent amount written for the next chapter, though.)**


	43. In Transit

**(A/N: I'm finally back with a new update! This took longer than I thought, but we're also really gearing up for the end now! Also, thanks you guys for the lovely reviews last chapter! I shall get to answering those now. :3)**

The bellies of wispy clouds were tinged red by the sun's spray of deep golden orange color. Calm, cool air clung to Natin's fur as he lay in his prison cell, crippled. He only became aware again that he wasn't alone when Tojo cleared his throat and shifted his weight to pop his joints. The old king was a solitary guard sitting at the mouth of the den.

Tojo muttered hoarsely, "Haven't seen many sunrises that look like this one..." He yawned.

Remaining quiet, Natin assumed the old lion was speaking to himself and lapsed back into the thoughts that had started when Kovu had left with the others…

_I shoulda done it. I should've killed Kovu. Been less naïve about things-I was foolish, and I had all those chances. I saw Kovu lying there at night, and I saw Mother's blood marked on his soul, on the paws and faces of the sleeping lionesses around us-I hope at least she haunted their dreams. But I couldn't see past my blood in Kovu's body. Everyone's endangering their lives to help Asuma. It's impossible. He's gone… Lost. Why'd I have to lead him astray? Why'd I enable him to use me for my weakest flaw-my cowardliness? Was there any other way? And Asuma never wanted to help _me_ help myself-he wanted to become what he is now. He wanted me to kill his father, who was mine, too... but I cannot really blame him for that after everything that's happened._

He fretted the fear and guilt in his life; he felt like he'd accomplished little, if nothing at all. He'd told Asuma that he wouldn't lay a paw on Kovu, but now Asuma had essentially been thrown to Sauda and Fola's pridesisters. Tattered, splotchy memories, of a time long-passed, when he'd had been much younger, began to run off inside Natin's head…

_"Natin! Why is Asuma crying?"_

_ Natin stared up at his aunt before he looked down at his paws. He wriggled nervously. "Whuh'd he tell ya?"_

_ Kiara spoke slow and in a higher voice than normal. "That you pushed him. Off a rock."_

_ Teary-eyed, Asuma crouched a few lengths behind his upset mother. He was more like a blue-eyed ball of orange fluff than a cub._

_ "We were playin', Kiara... Playin' King of the Rock..."_

_ "Did he know that?" Kiara's eyebrow lifted._

_ Natin shrugged innocently. What'd that mean? He'd practically just explained how the game worked when Asuma had started to cry._

_ His aunt frowned. "Asuma is still smaller than you. You can't be rough with him or Tanga."_

_ Natin frowned back. "But I can make'm tougher. I can make him tougher than I am now... um, when he's my age now..." He'd wished his mother was there- she would've understood, he thought. They always played fun games together. But she was away hunting with other lionesses. Tanga would've made for a better playmate, but she had been taking a walk around Pride Rock with her father._

_ "Natin, can you look out for him instead of trying to make him tougher? He'll learn on his own when he's ready, you'll see, okay? And no more King of the Rock. Okay?"_

_ He'd nodded. Natin understood that he hurt Asuma somehow, but he hated that he'd been tattled on. He shouldn't have followed Asuma when the young cub had started crying and had run to his mother. Maybe hiding out would be a better choice if this happened again, and maybe it would be forgotten... but that was probably too much to hope for._

_ "Now say you're sorry and that you'll be more careful next time," Kiara ordered._

_ "But we were just playin'..." Natin whined._

_ Kiara frown deepened. "Would you give your mother that excuse?"_

_ Maybe, Natin had thought mutinously. His mother understood rough-housing. He shook his head for Kiara, however, knowing that Vitani was going to get wind of this, and he knew she didn't tolerate 'his sass'. Being her only cub and the only creature she curled up with at night made them close, but that also meant she had a lot of time to focus on him alone._

_ "Natin, just apologize."_

_ With a sigh, Natin jumped up and walked over to Asuma, whose eyes were brimming with tears. For a second, Natin wondered if Asuma was a faker, but he quickly dismissed the idea when Asuma looked away and seemed to shrink up. Natin said his apology, even glancing over at Kiara for approval. She nodded and smiled._

_ "I'll be careful next time, okay? I won't hurt ya, Asuma."_

_ "You won't?" Asuma murmured, sitting a little straighter. "Promise."_

_ Natin nodded and smiled. "Yeah! You're, like, my brother... 'cos I don't got one."_

_ "I know."_

_ "So I promise I won't hurt ya again..."_

_The night after the King of the Rock incident, everyone had settled in as usual. Natin had watched Kiara groom Asuma and Tanga before falling asleep. Asuma slept in his mother's arms, and Tanga slept practically on Kovu's face. Natin didn't know how his uncle could stand it._

_ Natin rolled over onto his back and looked at his mother's sleeping face. He always slept next to her stomach. She'd fallen asleep almost immediately, after leading the hunt that day. They said she'd brought down two zebra for the pride, and she'd brought some of it back with her just for him. Natin then looked back at his relatives and sighed, his small face scrunched up with longing. Where was his father? Why didn't he live in the Pride Lands? Did his father know that he had a son? Didn't his mother like his father anymore? His uncle acted like a father, and so did Simba, but it wasn't the same. In the morning, he started to ask his mother these things, and had persisted later, but she didn't seem interested in answering them- speaking about being grateful for what they had..._

_ ..."I don't get it! Why d'you wanna find Uncle Kovu? Isn't he exiled?"_

_ "Someone needs to talk to him. He was angry when he left, and might hurt the pride again. He needs some sense knocked into him."_

_ He followed behind Vitani, dragging his paws lazily as he walked. "Well, you did say he wanted to hurt me and he killed Simba. What more could he do?"_

_ "You really don't want an answer to that do you, Natin?"_

_ "I bet my real father wouldn't of gone so crazy." He'd eyed her back, and had watched her shoulders tense up._

_ "Kovu hasn't gone crazy. He was just confused. Our mother... tended to bring that out in us."_

_ Natin narrowed his eyes in frustration. He didn't care about his murdering grandmother. That was the past. They'd been walking for eight days, and he was hoping his mother would give up and they'd go back home. He didn't want to find the betrayer. He feared what they'd find._

_ When his mother didn't speak again, he muttered, "I'd rather be looking for Father."_

_ "Natin... Enough..." she sighed tiredly._

_ "What? It's true..."_

_ Vitani halted in her tracks and looked over her shoulder at her son. Her expression was unreadable, which usually meant he was in trouble._

_ He stared back defiantly. "Can't I just know? Why? I just wanna know!" He walked to her shoulder to rub his head against her foreleg. "Please? I know about Simba's family. I know about yours. I wanna know mine. Who was he?"_

_ Looking down at him, Vitani pursed her mouth. She looked for a long time, thinking."I'll tell you tonight when we rest."_

_ "Promise? Prrrroooomise?" he asked suspiciously._

_ She nodded._

_ That night, they laid under a tree. Vitani laid with her forelegs out, and Natin laid his forelegs over hers._

_ "It was my decision to stay in the Pride Lands," she began. "I met Iken, your father, shortly after the prides had merged. I was at the watering hole when Simba joined me with a skinny, gimping rogue in tow. Simba had been out on patrol, and he'd found the lion with the scarred-up face collapsed near the border. Apparently he hadn't had water for a couple days- food for longer. Simba explained to me, and later the others, that Iken was in the process of looking for a new pride, and that he was allowed to stay inside the borders until he recovered his strength, so long as he didn't bother anyone. I wasn't sure if Simba was crazy or incredibly generous._

_ 'Simba's not the only lion here. I would stay away from my brother if I were you.'_

_ Iken mustered a chuckle. 'I've heard about this pride,' he had rasped to Simba and I at the watering hole that day, 'and believe me, it's on the bottom of my list of conquests.'_

_ 'We didn't ask you your opinion on our home-'_

_ 'Iken will be gone in a few days, Vitani," Simba had interrupted. 'There's no need to worry... But, if you are going to worry, perhaps you could keep an eye on him, hmm?'_

_ "The thought of babysitting a stranger didn't appeal to me, but Simba insisted. I did learn without asking that Iken was a little older than Simba and had been a rogue for a few seasons. He'd taken over a pride years earlier with his older brother, but when four lions had challenged them, he'd lost both their pride and his brother. He did a lot of passing through places."_

_ ''I don't get to talk to many other lions. You know. 'Cos I'm a rogue and all.'_

_ 'Talking seems to be taking away the energy you need to put towards getting better faster.'_

_ 'Not one for chit-chat?'_

_ 'I'd rather be hunting for my pridemates right now.'_

_ 'So less chit-chat and more shutting up?'_

_ 'Yes.'_

_ 'You're a feisty one. Reminds me of my mother. All right, I'll just enjoy this shade under this tree.'_

_ "Iken wasn't a threat that I couldn't handle, but Kovu wasn't happy when he found out that Simba had me looking after a stranger; however, he took Simba's lead and left Iken alone. Iken knew I was watching him close and took what 'chit-chat' he could get. Admittedly, Iken was better entertainment than most of the others in the pride. In general, Simba was kind to him, and didn't show that he minded that he stayed longer when he needed extra time- just not near Pride Rock, which Iken didn't seem to mind either. He stayed in the Pride Lands for one season. He filled out and regained his strength. He was very handsome. After a while, I realized that he was pulling away."_

_ 'I want my own pride. I want to be king, but I can't do that here. And it wouldn't- won't- be the same without my brother. Come with me?'_

_ 'You know about my life before. I think you know the answer. My life has never been so stable.'_

_ 'You're different than other lionesses, and I like that. I wish you'd come with me... Will your brother and Simba mind... that... you know...'_

_ 'They're not a threat to me. Don't worry.'_

_ "I knew it was unrealistic to think he would just gather up stray lionesses along the way, and I wasn't about to be the mother of every member in a pride. He was strong, but the clock was ticking for him. He had to take over another pride by force. He had the ambition for it. I knew that was a life I didn't want to put you through, Natin. He stayed until you were born, but made the decision to leave, and I didn't stop him."_

_ "Do you know where Iken went?"_

_ Vitani shook her head. "He said he'd head west, but who knows what he found. The news never made it to the Pride Lands if he found what he was looking for or not."_

_ "I wish he'd stayed. Can we look for him instead of Kovu, Mother?"_

_ "Kovu is still part of our pride, and we need to find him. I know you'd like to meet Iken, but our duty is to our pride first. Maybe one day, after all this is over."_

Natin opened his eyes and grimaced. A thick lump filled his throat. Why had things been so difficult? So complicated? So violent? All he seemed to know anymore was fear, ambition, and anger, and he missed the days when he'd only feared being punished, and had looked forward to sleeping in a warm den surrounded by a family that had loved one another. Those were better times. He'd wanted more, and had still lost almost everything he'd had. He knew his pride was different because of the way its leaders were chosen, but the system had still failed him. He'd caught himself wishing from time to time that his mother had gone with Iken, even while he struggled to put the family he did know back together.

"Shoulda grown up and done Kovu in anyway... He was a poor stand in..." Natin muttered under his breath.

"When don't we regret what we didn't do?"

Natin jumped, having completely forgotten that he had company. Still lying down, he tilted his head back, pointing his muzzle at Tojo, who sat facing the inside of the den. The light of the morning sun got caught in his faded golden-brown fur and mane. Natin squinted in the light.

"I was just talking to myself."

Tojo shrugged. "Well, I've sat here all night keeping guard. Humor me, perhaps?"

Natin snorted and turned his head away. "There are others with more important problems than mine."

"Like whose?"

Natin frowned. "Chaka, my cousins, my aunt." Then he muttered almost inaudibly, "...Because of me."

Tojo sat listening.

"I stirred up trouble," Natin spoke louder, "I didn't do what I should've done. I've done bad."

"It was your idea to come here- that's what Kovu said before. You also protected your uncle. Tswane seemed to think that was special."

"Did Kovu tell you his whole story?"

Tojo nodded. "Everything."

"Well, I'm alive because the Council allowed it to happen. I'm here to aid Kovu. By their orders and because it's what my mother wanted."

"Oh I think it's more than just that. Your mother was on a mission to find him. You finished it for her. And you put aside your aggression towards Kovu to protect him."

Natin rolled his eyes. "It isn't that."

"Well, I wish Chaka would take your lead," Tojo remarked. Then he gave a windy chuckle. "Have you ever noticed that you can't stop a storm?"

Natin raised an eyebrow at the absurd statement. "What?"

"Have you ever tried to stop a storm?"

"No... of course not... You can't do that- There's nothing to stop."

The corners of Tojo's mouth turned up. "Yes, all you can do is try to remain calm. It will run its course. You can face it with bravery, but it won't matter. You can run for shelter and comfort, but it won't care. You can yell and shout, but it will still go until it's blown itself out-You'd agree that getting upset will only compound the event."

Natin frowned partly in irritation and partly out of curiosity. "So why bother at all, then?"

"I didn't say you should just sit by and do nothing. Sometimes you just can't stop things from happening. You're just one creature."

"But what if I'm the one who put things into motion? What then? I created the storm that the others are fighting," he blurted, frustrated by Tojo. The old lion was trying to say something, but it was too roundabout. He wasn't even sure why he had let Tojo lure him into a conversation.

_I can admit that the guy isn't half bad to talk to, though..._

"You might have created the storm, but I don't think that is what you meant to do," Tojo replied. "Did you?"

"Of course not," Natin said immediately, but then faltered, floundering in his regret and guilt. "I just... someone needed to accept what they'd done."

_To pay for taking away my happiness and splitting my family apart and tossing them into chaos._

"I've seen that look on your face before. I wore it for a good long time myself. I wouldn't look my age so much if I'd gotten rid of it sooner. You know, killing would not have solved everything."

"I know," Natin replied, somewhat honestly. He watched the elder, still feeling dully irritated, as Tojo stood up, his limbs noticeably stiff and shaky.

"I can't spend all day here. I should check the borders."

Natin watched as the old lion hobbled away, each step growing stronger as he left the prisoner behind. There was something about Tojo that both mesmerized and saddened Natin in that moment. Natin then raised a brow when he saw the den was now unguarded.

"Hey... You have faith that I won't leave and wreak havoc?" he quipped. He even flexed his sore, wounded foreleg when Tojo paused and looked over his shoulder.

Tojo chuckled. "I don't need to keep you in. I posted guards to keep the lionesses in your aunt's pride from taking their frustration out on you. You may have noticed how happy they were to see you."

The corners of Natin's mouth turned down and he could feel that his body was beginning to turn in on itself. Then he forced a laugh. "I wasn't expecting a hero's welcome... let's just say... But while I have your attention, mind sending Tswane my way? I could use something for the pain. It really hurts."

Tojo smiled. "If you think you're strong enough, I'll escort you to his tree." He looked around the den. "I think you've spent enough time in here, at least for now. I'll bring you back and you can rest some more."

Natin hesitated for a moment before standing up shakily. He saw stars before his eyes for a moment and his vision swam, but when he bowed his head for a moment the sensation abated.

_Rest... Like I deserve it, really... If they find Asuma, what do I say to him? Will he trust me ever again, or always look at me with hatred for the coward I am? Would there ever be peace between us?_

Natin then shook his head once Tojo's back was turned.

_That's all if Asuma's ever found alive. He belonged to the lionesses the moment they killed my mother and the moment Kovu killed Sauda. Call me a pessimist... but I've been through too much to not live any other way._

* * *

They left the oasis before light, leaving Timon and Pumbaa behind. Tanga led them back the way she'd gone to get to the oasis, and they set a brisk pace that was halfway between a walk and a jog. Bron flew overhead so the lions could be alerted if anything came up in front of them. After midday, everyone started to visibly drag. Chaka even tripped over his paws a couple of times.

"Maybe we should stop for a hunt," Suki suggested, and the others agreed.

Kiara, Suki, Muna, and Kovu left on the hunt. Kenyi joined them as well. Chaka stayed with Tanga in order to mark their stopping position while Bron flew ahead to continue scouting.

Exhausted after sleeping poorly during the night, Chaka's body felt heavy and uncoordinated. Tanga's presence also left him feeling edgy. His edginess wasn't so much a product of knowing that everything depended on _her_ to lead everyone in the right direction, but more or less from knowing how much had happened since they'd last been alone together. Frustration and nervousness tensed his shoulders as he rested his heavy head on his forelegs and struggled to stay alert. Her choice to run away had disappointed him more than the disappointment he'd felt when Natin had betrayed them and stolen away the two heirs on a mission of revenge. He knew if he'd forced Kiara to tell the truth about Kovu or just tell Tanga the truth himself, most everything would have been avoided.

_Now... really, would it have changed anything at all, though, if they'd heard the truth that Kovu was a murderer? Asuma would have still wanted retribution, and Tanga would have joined in anyway to stop him and Natin. Maybe stopping them was out of my paws all along... But they still didn't need to suffer... I should have broken the silence._

Chaka opened his good eye after realizing that his body had given into exhaustion while he was preoccupied with his thoughts. Chaka also realized he feared how Tanga felt about how he'd handled Asuma, treating him like he didn't exist and judging him for feeling a way that he couldn't help. A way that Chaka related to with every bone in his body. Chaka wondered how Kiara had told Tanga the tale of his rage. He imagined vividly that Tanga no longer saw him as the hero who had saved her lost brother from the wild dogs, but instead as the irate beast who had rushed from the den at Pride Rock to confront and kill Kovu when Simba's murderer had been revealed. Only Kiara's intervention had prevented Kovu's murder at that time.

The muscles around Chaka's ruined eye started to spasm. He wondered if he'd ever learn again to be with peaceful creatures when he'd lived with heathens for too long.

Tanga laid sitting up with her back to Chaka. He wondered if she could feel his unfocused gaze burning into her back. There had been very little talk between them since they'd been reunited. Chaka had to work up the energy to speak to her.

"Much further, do you think, Tanga?"

"I'm not sure... He probably moved to get away from the lionesses." She then glanced over at him and did a double-take. "You look tired."

He nodded. "I haven't been sleeping well."

Tanga gave him a wry smile, but held her tongue.

Chaka felt his shoulders slump. When would the hunting party return? His stomach growled a complaint in hunger and unease. He felt cold and unwelcome in Tanga's space. He couldn't stand it, and wanted the feeling to go away... But what if it didn't go away? The amount of walking that he'd been doing also reminded him of his days as a rogue, and this triggered fear. If he ever had to become a rogue again, would he be able to do it, even to avoid his feelings? He was strong and vicious, but being a successful rogue was a young lion's game. He wasn't old, but he wasn't young, either. And if he thought it was hard managing a pride where he was born, what would it be like to defend a pride that he had little connection to? Or a pride he made all his own, but living in fear that it would be taken away from him when someone younger and stronger came along? He didn't think he could bear that. He knew the hard fact was that a lone lion had less of a chance of survival than a lion in a pride.

"Mother said you've been talking to King Tojo. I didn't realize before that you had such a problem with anger."

Her question caught Chaka off guard. Slowly, he raised his head.

"You were angry when I ran away with Asuma and Natin, weren't you?" Tanga asked.

There was a slight hint of innocence in her question. The tone reminded him of when she'd caught him pacing alone at night... a peaceful night before the storm had hit them, when he'd had an ally that told him to feel what he was feeling instead of acting out of obligation to feel otherwise.

Chaka looked down and crossed one paw over the other. "Didn't appreciate that you left without telling us," he answered calmly.

"I couldn't have left if I'd told you..." Tanga then looked down at her paws and the side of her mouth was tugged towards her ear. "But... I am sorry. I just heard that my father was alive... and I knew I needed to know why. I had to know. Y'know?"

Chaka frowned with one side of his jaw. _I know I can't blame her for that... since she thought he was dead. If I'd been in her place at that time, I would have gone in a heartbeat, too... just for different reason._

Finally, he sighed through his nose. "Just... I understand... Just don't do it again, okay?" he told her.

She nodded solemnly, her face lightly lined in contrition for running away from her home and innocence. "Okay." She then gave a small smile. "I'll be more responsible and a better example. Did you really attack Tswane's tree when you heard we left?"

Chaka's cheeks flushed and he felt like burying his face in his paws and mane. He coughed nervously. "Maybe."

_I bet I looked like a real fool... And equally a fool when I was chasing Kovu and Natin around that tree like I was playing a game of chase..._

Something in Tanga's manner then became more serious. She asked, "Where will my father go when this is all over... whatever the outcome?"

He opened his mouth, but thought otherwise. Was it really up to him to decide that? Tanga did have a future as a leader. He asked while yawning, "Where do you think he should go?"

Tanga shrugged and looked at her paws again. Her eyes were half-hooded, and somehow Chaka was reminded of a lioness from long ago- a hazy memory- from before he'd left the Pride Lands. "I'm not sure."

"The lionesses in the pride will not easily take him back," he remarked.

_To put it lightly... Suppose that's my fault, too._

She nodded and lowered her ears. "I could see that... How have they accepted Natin?"

Chaka pursed his mouth. "Not well."

"When we find Asuma, will they support him, or shun him?"

Chaka saw that Tanga was making sure her brother wouldn't fall into the same trap he'd been in before, when everyone had only ignored their prince. Misgivings about Asuma being a successful leader certainly existed in Chaka's mind, but he was loathe to see Asuma suffer ever again if he could help it.

"Honestly? Considering that Asuma is passive aggressive, introverted, and listens to his crazy dreams more than anyone else?" Chaka mused tiredly. "I'd imagine if he didn't have his dreams, though, you'd both be in danger. But he will be supported. Both of you will be. It won't be easy, but you won't be handled like little cubs-"

"Chaka, what're you talking about?"

"What?" He did a double take. What had he said to confuse her?

"Why did you say that thing about Asuma listening to his dreams and us being in danger?"

Chaka ran through his head everything that he and Kovu had revealed to the others. His lethargy was getting in the way.

He cursed himself. _I shouldn't even know that Asuma was having dreams! He was on those herbs or whatever Tswane was giving him!_

"Chaka? I don't even know what he was dreaming at night," she remarked, her voice growing higher, "because he wouldn't allow me to know. I already told everyone that he said he spotted a scout, and told me to run." Her ears lowered and her green eyes narrowed. "Are _you_ saying that he _knew_ the lionesses were coming _because_ of his dreams? Like he was able to predict it...?" She then rolled her eyes and tossed her head. She shook her head and frowned. "I- Grrr- How would you even _know_ something like that at all? That's_ impossible_!"

Chaka released the inside of his cheek when he started to taste blood. He didn't think he could just say he was tired. Maybe... Probably not... But didn't someone need to tell her what was really going on with Asuma? And between him and Kovu? Painfully and angrily he realized the others were lying to Tanga again, even if it was only for the time being. He was pulled towards the simplicity of keeping her temporarily in the dark for just a little longer, but pushed by impulse and need and duty and honor to just quit lying to her!

"Well... I... uh..."

Behind him, Chaka heard a piece of meat hit the ground before he smelled the blood. Tanga's eyes sharply shifted as Kovu said, "I hope I didn't interrupt..."

Chaka sat up, trying to wipe the guilt and conflict from his face. The others were returning as well. "We were just having a chat, and-" he started, looking at Tanga.

But Tanga only looked more harshly irritated. "I wouldn't consider making fun of Asuma and his 'crazy' dreams and saying he predicted the lionesses in his dreams a 'chat'," she snapped. "I can't believe you were being so unsympathetic while saying you'd support him."

"You were making fun of Asuma?" Kovu asked sharply.

Turning back to Kovu, Chaka frowned and his lip twitched. "That was not my intention. I have plenty of other creatures to poke fun at. Trust me."

Something shifted in Kovu's eyes. "You don't have to tell me twice. All I get from you is snide remarks. They're tiring, but I don't care because I know what I've done. But, _your_ nephew has done nothing to deserve your criticism."

Chaka gritted his teeth. "I-am-tired. I-meant-no-harm. I-"

Muna groaned. "Oh, Great Kings, stop bickering! You're both angry. You're both poor and unfortunate. Deal with it."

The bickering stopped. Chaka looked from Kiara, Suki, Muna, Kenyi, to even Bron, before turning his head away. "Sorry," he muttered, before hearing Kovu utter the same word.

"Let's just relax and eat," Kiara remarked steadily.

Chaka felt his sister's approach behind him and he cringed angrily. She dropped the front leg of a zebra near him. Unhappily, he anticipated a scolding, but instead, while her head was lowered, she whispered quickly in his ear, "He saved your butt. Did you notice? You slipped up about the dreams, didn't you?"

Annoyed, Chaka narrowed his gaze and turned his head to his sister. Did she know of Kovu's secret about Asuma's dreams? Chaka composed himself. "I don't know what you mean."

"I know about the dreams and what happened to Natin," she confirmed.

Chaka glanced over at Kovu, who immediately registered Chaka's eye upon him and looked back. Kovu was settling down with the back leg of a zebra and held Chaka's stare. There was even a slight smirk on his muzzle.

_That sneaky bastard... he knew I'd take the bait._

Chaka felt duped. Kovu had too easily predicted that Chaka would react poorly, which made him feel frustrated. He felt like he'd felt when he'd realized he was covered in the blood of the desert scavengers who had confronted them earlier- embarrassed. He then felt angry, when he realized that Kiara was in on the lie now, too. He knew why he'd agreed with Kovu to not tell the others everything- to make Kovu look a little more sane- but then Kovu had gone off and told Kiara anyway. Unfortunately, though his intentions had probably been good, Kovu had caught Tanga in another web of lies devised to protect her.

As he settled down to eat his meal, he hissed under his breath, "You're lying to Tanga again?"

Kiara visibly saddened. She whispered anxiously, "I know I shouldn't lie but... but we have other things to deal with first..."

Chaka's nose wrinkled. "Or you could just do it now. You might not get the chance," he ground out. He toyed with his lunch. "She'll talk to Natin. He will tell her about the dreams. His death. _He_ won't shut up like me because he'll hate it too much..." Chaka's breathing then quickened and he felt a pressure on his chest. "And right now... I could just raise my voice and-"

"No. She'll know before we go home," Kiara promised.

Chaka frowned, feeling sick to his stomach. Why didn't he just raise his voice instead of saying he could?

_What would even happen if I did?_

Conversation abruptly over, Kiara went off and sat with Suki and Tanga. They all rested until the food in their bellies had only begun to settle before they were off again with Tanga in the lead and Bron scouting from the air. Each time Chaka lifted his paws he had to try hard not to drag them, and every time he blinked it was a struggle to open his eye again. He walked at the back of the group, hoping the others would just think he was taking up a defensive position.

* * *

"Please... just kill me..."

Everyone else was snoring the night away while Fola had only been dozing. She looked up, and in the tree she heard another hoarse plea of mercy.

"Kill me... please..."

She twitched her nose at the poor smell coming from their prisoner.

_Surprised he's still breathing- he's really dragging things out. All you can ever see are the telltale rising and lowering of his sides when he sleeps... or passes out._

Standing up, Fola creeped to the base of the tree. Asuma looked down at her.

"_Please... just do it..._" he mouthed.

Wordlessly, Fola put her paws on the trunk of the acacia tree. Was she really going to relieve her enemy's torturous pain? Even upon his request? He was begging, and begging had always sounded pathetic to her ears.

One of her pridesisters rolled over in sleep, and Fola looked away for a moment.

_ He's not Kovu._

Asuma watched her through swollen eyes when she began to climb up into the branches, getting closer to him. It wouldn't take much to end his life, and she knew she could do it without much notice, and he could be dead by the time the others became the wiser. She climbed higher, getting closer. She knew as a leader that keeping her pride there, waiting for nature to take it's course, wasn't in any way productive when they really needed to be looking for a stable territory. One branch closer. Asuma even started to lift his head a little, knowing where she should strike him. Fola heard a bird cry sharply, and she could hear the river.

Asuma stretched his neck out when she was two branches away from him. She reached up, testing her weight on one branch before climbing onto another.

"_Thank you..._" Asuma mouthed in the shadows. Almost reflexively, he reached down with one of his forelegs, as if to pull her up closer to him more quickly, welcoming her.

_Craaaaack!_

Fola yelped as the branch she'd started to pull herself up onto gave way beneath her forelegs. Gravity unbalanced her and took her with the branch as it swung down brokenly. Her eyes were still locked with Asuma's and he gaped, horrified, as she fell away from him. Her paws scrabbled at nothing.

"Ummpphh!"

There was a gasp of pain and several growls of alarm, but they sounded dull to Fola's buzzing ears.

"What happened?"

"I heard a branch snap! Was Fola up in the tree?"

Fola opened her eyes. She'd landed on one of her pridemates, who was writhing under her. The others crowded around her, taking away her air as she tried to get her breath back. Her chest ached and she felt like someone's paw was being pressed across her throat.

"I don't know, was she up there?"

Fola blinked, feeling paralysed as she wheezed. Next to her, she felt the other lioness moaning in pain.

"Did they break anything?"

Someone batted at her limbs, and she didn't feel any immediate pain that wasn't coming from her lack of breath.

"Why was she up in the tree?" someone called loudly. "You, answer us!"

At first, Fola thought that the question was meant for her, but then realizes that they were asking Asuma. The question was repeated several more times, and in the background the lionesses growled in frustration.

Finally Fola regained some of her breath and was able to roll shakily onto her belly, but she still had to lie with her cheek pressed to the hard ground. Beside her, the other lioness was starting to sit up.

"That damn tree can hold him for three days, yet it can't hold Fola? Fola, why were you up there?"

Finally, Fola motioned with her muzzle for one of the lionesses to come closer. She wheezed, "He's tak-king too long to die. He beh-ged me..."

"Begged you?"

Stiffly, she nodded and promptly closed her eyes. A wave of dizziness sent her vision spinning.

"Well, if we're not waiting for him to die anymore, I'll take care of this!"

There was a succession of snaps and cracks. The muffledness in Fola's ears gave way to a sharp ringing sound. Slowly, she turned her head and looked up. Several lionesses were attempting to scale the tree. Hunks of bark were dangling and swinging in the air or were scattered around the base of the tree. Fola looked up into the tree and squinted bleary-eyed at Asuma. By now, she'd expected to see him climbing down to greet his killers, but his eyes were closed once more. He'd passed out again, she assumed.

Several of the lionesses cursed loudly while others started to angrily bite and claw at the tree in frustration.

Fola looked on, not amused in the least bit, slightly ashamed that her pridesisters were below the dignity that she'd hoped they would learn from her. They were lost in their rage, not thinking that they were gnawing and tearing at an unmovable object that couldn't even register its own pain, let alone their futile violence. All she could do was watch and wait for them to give up. Soon, they were sitting around the base of the tree in a spent, panting ring.

_This is who they are, what they'll always be... as mindless as that tree they've scarred. There's no place for that out here... is there? I don't know what those elders were thinking when we left. That was the only place they... we... fit in. No place else._

* * *

The search had continued until darkness set in. Now, within a few hours, Tanga predicted that they could be at the river where the stampede had happened, and Kovu agreed with her judgement. For now, they all rested under the stars, figuring that it would be more risky to travel at night in case they ran into Fola and her pride.

Kovu took the first watch with Kenyi. Everyone else fell fast asleep, though Kovu noticed that Tanga was tossing a lot. Kenyi looked over once or twice but ultimately he turned his head to ignore her. Soon she gave a growl and opened her eyes. She laid on her back with her paws on her chest. Kovu watched her out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to disturb her at first. She wasn't far away from him.

"I've always wanted someone to listen," came her whisper, "but most of the time I feel like there's nobody there."

Kovu wasn't sure that the statement was meant for him until she turned her head and looked at him tiredly.

He hadn't detected any malice in her demeanor this time. It was almost like they'd been conversing for hours. He'd noticed that she'd glared at him less that day, especially after he'd swooped in like a good father to defend Asuma's dreams against Chaka, even if it was partly a ruse. He started to think about how the Council was apprehensive about Tanga being queen in Asuma's place. He still didn't know why they favored his son over his daughter, but he wondered if her lack of belief in the ancestors had something to do with it. They were important, and they knew they were important. Unlike Tanga, Kovu knew with every fiber of his body that they did exist, though he didn't know how much they were worth believing in- a thought that sent chills running along his back.

"They do listen," he replied, only after she'd looked back up at the night sky.

Quickly, she turned her head again. "They?"

"The pride's ancestors. The Council. That's what they're called."

Again, Tanga looked at the stars, a puzzled frown on her muzzle.

Creeping closer, Kovu went over to his daughter. "Mind if I…"

She shook her head, but kept her eyes on the stars.

He laid down and rolled onto his back. He kept enough room between them for an entire other lion. A smattering of bright stars stretched over the dark sky as he whispered back, "There are ears listening to you, Tanga, and they want you to listen to them, too."

"How do you know?"

Kovu bit the inside of his cheek. Should he tell her the truth about Natin? His dream with Asuma? The Council's lack of confidence in his daughter? They probably didn't have that much time, and she really did need to rest. But something inside him tugged at him, nudging him to action.

_But is it the right time? Kiara did mention that Chaka wants her to know..._

"Please just believe me. You're not sending your wishes and fears to deaf stars." Even as he spoke, he cursed himself for sounding lame, but how couldn't he without showing her everything he'd seen, felt, and heard?

Tanga sighed and it almost sounded like a growl of frustration. "Well, someone better be looking out for Asuma. That's all I care." Her voice cracked slightly.

Kovu twisted his head to his daughter. Her face was still, but her cheeks were growing damp. His heart twisted. When he rolled over onto his side, it took everything he had not to gather her up in his paws like he did when she was so much smaller and could fit in the circle of his forelegs.

"Tanga…" he murmured.

"Go talk to her."

Kovu looked up, not having expected Kenyi to eavesdrop.

He had the same stony, serious expression on his face as usual. He nodded. "You're clearly more useful to her than to the group right now," he pointed out.

"Thanks." Kovu stood up. He looked down at Tanga, who was looking up at him almost in surprise or maybe conflict. For a moment, he wasn't sure if she'd strike out at him for showing friendliness, or jump up and embrace him.

"Want to walk with me?"

After a moment, she nodded and rolled over onto her belly to stand. She followed him.

They walked to a small rise where they sat down. From there, Kovu didn't feel as guilty about not being an active sentry. He could still see everyone from there. Tanga sat next to him.

Before Kiara had settled in for the night, when she'd mentioned that Chaka was unhappy that Tanga was being lied to again, Kovu had cringed. What he'd done had been in the spirit of making amends.

"Father...? What is it?"

Kovu took in a breath... and told her everything… _everything._ Natin. The Council's agenda. Asuma's dreams. He hid nothing, letting her into his strange world- the world that had shaped and pounded him. He also heard himself slip in an apology or two. He tried hard not to spare her anything like he would've done when she was much smaller.

Tanga was quiet while he talked and for a long time after he'd finished. "I thought you'd changed... for mother..." she murmured finally. "It makes me think that no change is permanent... good or bad. Everything is uncertain, and I don't really know who I can trust anymore."

Kovu looked to the side. He felt sorry that his and Kiara's mistakes had rocked Tanga's perspective of the world so drastically. It had been less obvious with her than with her brother. "You can still trust yourself, Tanga."

"But that... I can't always do that. If I'm gonna be a leader of the pride, I have to trust others. I keep hearing that I don't listen to others. And I yell at them. I'm too quick to show my disapproval. I should know better. I don't know if I can trust myself anymore."

"You're mother told me something like that."

"What?" Tanga raised a brow. "She did?"

He nodded. "... You do listen to others, just not in a way they can understand- you almost listen to their needs and try to address them. Natin told me what you said to him, and he probably didn't want to hear it. You knew that he would change permanently if executed his plan... and he wouldn't change for the better."

"Well, it's not that hard to see that," Tanga said, looking away from him. "Just like it wasn't hard to see that Mother should have told us the truth... Things would've been so much simpler."

"See," Kovu pointed out, "See how easy it comes for you? You just have to remember that nobody always leads with their practical logic or wisdom. Sometimes other things get the better of them."

"Like hate or stubbornness?"

"Yes. And _love_ or _fear_."

Tanga turned her head back and glanced at him cautiously, as if she'd been caught telling a small, cubbish fib. "Dad... I accept your apology. You're not perfect, and I forgive you."

Kovu gave her a small, shaky smile. His ears lowered. He said quietly, "Don't say that only because you think you should, Tanga... I understand that my actions need to speak for me."

She opened her mouth, probably to argue with him, but she stopped herself and smiled and nodded. "Okay. I understand... Y'know... they buried you. In the graveyard with the other kings."

Kovu's eyebrow arched. He hadn't expected to hear such a thing, but he then remembered that it must have been part of the ruse.

"I used to sit there at night," she went on. "I thought about the past. How I missed it..." She made a face. "I'd sit there because... if I didn't... I'd have dreams with such _hatred._ Maybe the ancestors were trying to tell me how unsettled things were?" she almost suggested.

"Maybe..." Kovu replied. Hearing this gave him a little hope, but he didn't like hearing that his daughter, too, suffered from strange dreams.

Then, they heard pawsteps.

"Kovu. Tanga. There's a development," Kenyi spoke.

Kovu looked at Tanga as she asked, "What is it?"

"Bron found a group of lionesses by a tree."

"How far away?"

"He thought a couple miles. You need to hear what else he found."

The trio headed back to the group. The others were huddled. Chaka spotted them first and met them halfway. "Kenyi fill you in?"

Kovu nodded. "Briefly. Bron found a group of lionesses?"

When Chaka's face twisted up, Kovu knew something was wrong. Glancing over at Kiara, who was clearly being comforted by Suki, Kovu prepared himself for a disaster.

"Bron says he flew down to the tree to see if he could pick up any of their names. He heard them talking to Fola. They were swarming the tree, attacking it. A young lion is in the tree."

Tanga gasped.

"Bron got a better look. The description fits. Asuma was breathing, but in very rough shape." At the last part, Chaka's voice cracked slightly.

Kovu lowered his head.

_Okay... he's alive... that's something... now we just need a plan._

Tanga's voice shook. "He's been in that tree for two days at least-"

"Three days," Kovu corrected her. When he earned a raised eyebrow from Chaka, he explained. "I told Tanga everything, even the dream I had three days ago where I warned Asuma."

"Well, if we go now," Chaka went on slowly, his muscles losing a bit of their tension, "we could surprise them. But going when they're riled up isn't smart, even if it gets help to Asuma faster." He turned to Kenyi. "Take some time to find something to help him. He's injured."

"But I'm not really a shaman-"

Chaka growled. "Find him something." He then bared his teeth slightly and looked down at his paws. "Something is better than nothing. If we can even get to him."

"We have to get to him," Tanga murmured.

_We will get to him and save him._

_**(A/N: Cue dramatic drum roll...)**  
_


	44. What They Wouldn't Give

_**A/N: This chapter didn't feel right until I added the line at the end for Asuma. It was a struggle to get here, but here you are! I haven't had a chapter this short since the mid-point of the story. Enjoy my patient readers! :)**_

* * *

_They have my son._

The heat of six other anxious lions and the pressing, looming fate they were sprinting towards threatened to overwhelm Kovu. The night air stunk of anger and dust, and low, frustrated snarls sounded in the distance. Kovu's shivering muscles burned under his fur with fear, and he panted heavily through his gritted teeth. The snarls and growls eventually waned to a menacing rumble that flared up Kovu's smoldering hatred for the lionesses.

_They have my son._

Simultaneously, everyone's brisk pace tapered to a crawl and then to an immediate crouch. They all could have easily been lurking at the edge of a herd, waiting to strike. But they couldn't strike these dumb beasts like they were the prey. Everyone looked at each other for a moment, waiting for someone to invent an order and give it. Then, Kenyi spoke to Chaka briefly about finding something for Asuma's wounds, before he crept away from the group to work alone. Bron settled onto Muna's shoulder.

There was a strangled sob and Kiara choked out, "My son…"

Kovu's jaw trembled with dread. He turned and saw that Suki and Tanga were at Kiara's side, comforting her. He was grateful her friend and their daughter were there to do what he couldn't anymore.

"Heathens," Muna muttered. Her lips curled back. She glared at the horde that had settled down around the tree Bron had described. Muna turned to Chaka, who was staring off in that direction. She scoffed, "Now I see how a Pridelander could single-handedly tear through a pack of scavengers. You grow up with them, you pick up a thing or two."

Chaka folded his ears down and lowered his head slightly. "Gruesome, aren't they?"

"_They_ are." Suki looked at Chaka, and also at Kovu. "You can be twisted and bent, but the truth won't change: you're not them." She swallowed hard and glanced back at Chaka before she turned her head to rub her cheek against Kiara's shivering shoulder.

The once-lost prince hardly looked convinced by Suki's kind encouragement. Kovu thought, _It's going to take a long time before Chaka takes that to heart, Suki..._

Chaka merely cleared his throat. "...Well, right now, we can't change what we're up against. Asuma's surrounded. They'll attack if or once we show ourselves."

"Will negotiation be an option?" Muna asked neutrally.

"Not sure... I mean- No." Chaka flexed his front paws and glanced at Kovu. "Like I said, they'll attack. I'd have to do the talking, and we've got nothing we could offer them in exchange for Asuma. Who knows if they remember me."

Muna glanced at Kovu. "We have noth-ing?"

Chaka shook his head and looked away.

Muna pursed her mouth for a moment before she smirked and said, "On to the next plan then."

Kovu blinked.

_Unbelievable…_

Had that response really come from Chaka? The ground beneath Kovu felt more solid than it had in a long time, and yet when he felt weightless he dug his claws in. Menaced for so long by the big lion, he never would've guessed that Chaka would choose to not give him up to Fola and her revenge-seeking pridesisters. Perhaps Chaka had changed more than he thought. But at the same time…

_I think Muna was only testing Chaka, but... I'm the offering they'd want. I am why they went after Asuma._

Kiara sniffed. "We can't wait for them to leave for food. There's too many of them."

Suki asked, "Do they have a weakness? Are they afraid of anything?"

"Dun l'k like they're 'fraid of an'thin'," Bron scoffed.

Kovu spoke up, "They're superstitious." He looked at Chaka. "When they found Natin, they wouldn't go near him."

Chaka rolled his eye. "If only we'd brought Natin then."

Tanga's ears lifted. "We need to get them away from that tree," she said. "I can lead them away. I'm quick and-"

"No!" Kiara snapped to attention. "I'm not about to lose you, too."

"Mother, he's dying!" Tanga's voice shook. "I'm quick enou-"

"Tanga," Kovu broke in. "Listen to your mother, she's right. This is a life or death matter for everyone."

"...But-"

Muna was shaking her head. "Those lionesses would go into a frenzy. One mistake and you're finished."

Tanga lowered her ears and stared back at Muna fiercely. "Well, we can't fight them."

"No, we can't. We need enough time to get Asuma away," Muna continued. "Tanga, we'd have to save you _and_ your brother."

"Then I don't know what we're gonna do! We're sitting here arguing, and Asuma's dying!"

"Could Bron help? What if we make them think Natin is haunting the tree?"

"Suki, with his accent?"

"Wh't accent?"

"I'll do it."

Nobody heard Kovu at first, but then Kiara blinked and looked at him.

"Wh-what? What did you say?"

All eyes were on Kovu. He repeated, "I'll do it."

Suki lowered her ears when she murmured confusedly, "Scare them...?"

Kovu sighed and glanced down at his paws. He looked up again when he said, "No... I'll lead them away from the tree. They'll chase me."

There was a hesitation before Tanga cried, "You don't have to!"

"I'm the one they want." Kovu looked at Chaka and then at everyone else. "You all see it. Where was I gonna go anyway? I gave up my home."

Tanga started to sit up, but Kiara and Suki quickly pushed her down."You can't just give up your life!"

"Tanga, calm down."

"But, Mother, he just got it back..."

Shutting out his daughter's pleading, Kovu quickly checked the direction of the breeze, measured the distance he had to travel, and squinted into the dark at the rogue lionesses to see what they were up to. They had calmed down. He knew what had to be done. He _had_ to be the lure.

Anxiety rippled off his family as they struggled to keep Tanga calm. There was a prickling sensation behind Kovu's eyes as he started to sit up.

"They've got resources, Tanga! Food. Water."

"What if we split into groups? They won't know who to chase."

"We're not strong enough! Kovu is doing what he thinks is best."

"But… but…"

Kovu heaved a breath. Tanga's distressed face was damp. Kiara comforted her and held her down with Suki's help. If Tanga got a hold of him, she would never let him go, though she already had held onto him for too long.

_She'll fight to bring Asuma back from the dark place he's in, and she'll have the wisdom to lead the pride through whatever the Council sees coming._

The arguing had ceased. Tanga was staring into space. When Kovu cleared his throat, everyone looked up.

"I'm ready…" When they remained silent, he added, "I'll stay ahead of them for as long as I can. I'll do everything I can... Get Asuma out of here. Don't linger."

Then only Muna and Suki would look him in the eye.

"Understand?" Kovu heard the slight tremor in his voice. The last thing he wanted was for them to jeopardize their lives by waiting for him. "Under-"

"Understood," Chaka replied, turning his head to look at Kovu. He then lifted his chin and said with a nod, "Good luck."

"Thanks." Kovu nodded and stared at their faces before he turned from the group. Suki and Tanga wished him luck, and Kiara said something that sounded like, "I love you," which made Kovu pick up his pace. He headed to the river.

_Maybe I don't deserve a happy ending but they do. I have to do this. Someone like me doesn't deserve to live happily, and even if I outrun these lionesses, I can't go home. There's no place for me. Maybe the only thing I can appreciate is pain because I've lived with it so long, and I can't appreciate anything else? If Suki only knew half of what I had to go through and what I've done, she wouldn't have included me when she said Chaka wasn't like the lionesses. I've always become what I had to be to survive… but at least now someone else will benefit._

* * *

_Nothing could make this situation better. Nothing I've run through my head ends in our favor. I keep getting an end with mass chaos and murder. That's it. Everyone here would give their life for Asuma, but they don't all have to. There's no chance I'd be able to protect them all._

If he'd been able to, Chaka would have started to pace.

_In a perfect world, I'd be able to walk up to them, tell them what I wanted, and bring Asuma back with me. Nobody would lose their life._

They were monsters, and he cringed when he could not stop recalling how brutal his pride had been, even to its youngest members during training. Several times, he had seen other cubs go to training, but then he had learned that they had been buried in the valley's graveyard. In the part set aside for warriors-in-training who had disgraced their trainers and parents with their physical weakness.

"You just let him go…"

Chaka pressed his ears into his mane and turned to Tanga, who had her face turned away from everyone. He said, "We didn't let him go. He chose this."

Muna perked up suddenly. "Are we so sure that he's not on _their_ side? Wasn't it his plan to use the lionesses to get back at you?"

Kiara made a noise that sounded both like a snarl and a sniff. She forced out in a sob, "He's changed-how could you say that, Muna?"

A cold stab of suspicion twisted Chaka's heart and moved it away from what he had been feeling-relief, gratitude, and pity. What had made him trust Kovu so fully?

_Did I let my defenses down this completely? Were Tojo and Tswane wrong about Kovu? Did that demon trick them, too? Did I let Kovu lure my family out into the middle of nowhere? Is this a trick?_

What was just as stunning as the possible betrayal they were now risking was that the thought of such a thing hadn't even crossed Chaka's mind.

A paw touched Chaka's foreleg. He jerked away and snarled.

"Chaka? Chaka, don't listen to Muna." Suki had been the one to touch him. "She was just joking." Suki then glared hard at the frowning lioness. "Why are you causing trouble?"

"You'd rather be surprised?" Muna snapped back.

"No, but-"

"I just saw things that way for a moment. Kovu hasn't acted like a monster, but..."

"Kovu _is_ doing a noble thing."

Chaka gritted his teeth. He remained outwardly calm while Suki argued and rested her paw on his, but frustration was building in his chest. This time, the taste of anger on his tongue made him nauseous. His anger was poisoned by a sense of impending betrayal.

"Bron, I want you to follow Kovu," Chaka ordered, his voice icy. "Follow him… Until the end."

"Y'sir…"

The bird took flight and Suki put both paws on his foreleg. Staring down, she frowned.

Tanga began, "Chaka, Father isn't a traitor now-"

"Just get ready to run," Chaka snapped. "We were never in control of what happens tonight."

* * *

Grass brushed Kovu's stomach and legs while he kept low and made a wide arc towards the river. When a few of the lionesses snarled in the dark he tightened his already tense jaw.

This had to be done, and he hoped Asuma would be fine. He knew the lionesses would chase him, and they wouldn't leave him until he was dead. He had to run far.

Once he got to the riverbank, he stopped to glance over his shoulder. He could make out the outlines of the savage lionesses under the moonlight. The pale light shined off their glinting eyes, making it seem as if he were only watching harmless fireflies. He carefully slunk down the bank and jogged along the river's edge, coming closer to the lionesses. Mud filled in the spaces between his toes. He didn't want them to know he was there until the last possible moment… As he moved, his thoughts crept back in time.

_ "Kovu, faster!"_

_ Tears of pain ran down his face. His throat burned with every precious gasp of air. His body was on fire. He barely heard the sound of Vitani's panting over his own when she tromped heavily past him. They were doing Zira's bidding, running around their den to train, and Vitani had already overlapped him twice._

_ "C'mon, Kovu, you haveta keep running!" When he stopped running, she turned around, moved behind him, and started to push him forward. Luckily, they were out of their mother's sight._

_ "Can't! Wh-why does she haveta make us do this?"_

_ "Because of Simba, Kovu," Vitani replied. "Everything she does is because of him. You know that. You can't fail because Simba outran you."_

_ "I can't run anymore…"_

_ "If you don't run, you'll be in more pain than if you did."_

_ "E-easy for you to say. Your fur's lighter th-than mine."_

_ Vitani continued to shove him forward until he started to jog on his own again. "Everything is going to be easier for me. You're the chosen one. Now just run..."_

Kovu stopped moving along the river and heaved a breath before filling his lungs with air. He was shaking all over. He peeked over the bank.

_This is it..._

Resolutely, he stepped up onto the riverbank and waited for a moment to see if anyone would see him standing there. He roared three times before they were all standing at attention, looking his way. Their backs were turned to where the rescue party was waiting in the night.

"Hey idiots!" he shouted, his voice resonant over the land. "You want me?" he growled. "Then come get me...!"

* * *

Asuma opened his eyes. His head felt light and he wondered if the sun was rising on yet another horrendous, punishing day.

_How have I lasted so long?_

He was so out of it that he could barely register the completeness of his agony. The last thing he recalled was Fola and her fall to the ground. Had she really intended to end his misery?

_With my luck, the fall probably killed her…_

He gazed down through the jumble of branches and leaves. Below him, the lionesses were standing alert, looking at something in the river's direction. They were snarling and muttering aggressively to one another.

"What…? Is that-?"

"He couldn't be so stupid-"

"...Come get me!" someone shouted from a distance.

_Who's yelling…?_

All Asuma seemed to do was blink and the lionesses vanished, but he could still hear them snarling. Their angry growling grew fainter as they moved into the distance.

He blinked again, and he heard a loud, collective panting over the ringing in his ears.

Blink.

Asuma then heard Tanga cry, "Asuma! Asuma!"

_But I'm mistaken… Tanga is miles from here… Safe..._

A group of lions also calling his name skidded to a stop at the base of the tree. He looked at their faces, concentrating hard and trying to keep his eyes in focus, and he could have sworn they were his family-

_No! That's impossible! There's no way they'd be able to find me! I'm hallucinating now… and… and-and why am I on the ground? How'd I get on the ground? Aren't I still up in that tree?_

"How do we get him down?"

"Just start climbing. It won't be easy to pull him down."

Asuma blinked again while he struggled to grasp what was happening. Catching rain with his paws would have been easier, he thought. He watched Tanga and Chaka begin to climb the tree.

"Asuma, I came back for you," he heard someone exclaim, and when his eyes focused, Asuma realized that Tanga _had_ spoken.

"I know what you did, and you were brave," she continued.

_No, no, the lionesses... why are you here? Save yourself... Yourselves…_

Asuma's eyes widened as the action caught up to him, enveloping him in shocked awareness. He looked to his side and realized he was standing with his mother, Suki, and a lioness he didn't recognize. Their heads were turned up, and they were focused on Chaka and Tanga. His mother's ears were flat against her head and fat tears streaked her cheeks. She swallowed hard and her chin was trembling.

"Try to nudge him off, Tanga," Chaka was saying. "Go around the tree trunk. There you go. Here, I'll get his arm onto my shoulder."

"Asuma? Asuma…?"

Up in the tree, Chaka struggled. Tanga was helping, slowly nudging a limp body-his body-from the branch he'd spent too many days on. They were trying to lower him from the tree, that much he could tell. Chaka adjusted his grip on the tree. The motion jarred Asuma's lifeless body.

"Easy..."

"I'm moving as fast as I can. I-whoa, watch it. I can't balance him."

"Asuma," Tanga was saying, "we'll get you down. We have someone who can look over your wounds." Her voice cracked.

Asuma tore his eyes from the tree and looked in the direction the lioness horde had gone. _The lionesses... why did they run away? Did my family chase them away? None of you are really here. This… All this isn't happening. I must be dreaming again. They'll come back to check... and this rescue mission will have been for nothing. You came too late to save me._

"I'm dead," he said out loud.

Nobody responded. They continued on working and crying.

"I'm dead. You've wasted your time."

Behind him, a peaceful voice rumbled, "Asuma, come with me."

Asuma turned his head and saw a large-jawed lion that reminded him of Simba. A warm aura of what he could only describe as unconditional affection radiated off the big, red-maned lion. The cool heart in Asuma's chest clenched at first, but then he relaxed and let himself be comforted by the lion's presence. It was almost too easy how fast it happened. Asuma then looked at his family to see if they were seeing the lion, too, but they were oblivious to anything besides the desperate struggle in front of them. This lion was there to collect him. Asuma turned back to the lion and murmured, "I want to make sure they get away from here safely, Mufasa."

_It could only be him… It feels like it should be him._

"You wouldn't be able to warn them even if the danger returns." The lion lifted his chin. "Regardless, your father is leading the lionesses away from here."

The night seemed to peel back more quickly now, and light was filling everything in. Asuma narrowed his eyes skeptically. "Leading them away?"

"Yes, Asuma. He will sacrifice his life so that your family might have a chance to save you."

"Wait-when did he stop breathing?"

"No! Asuma! Breathe! You can't die! No!"

Asuma spun sharply around at the grief-stricken cry, but he could no longer clearly see his family. All he saw was a misty, bright, white wall and their frantic silhouettes. The acacia tree no longer looked like anything earthly, and somehow its whole form looked flat, wispy, and fragile like it was made from white, dead leaves. The form of another lion appeared and joined the group.

_"Kenyi, do something! He's not breathing!"_

_ "I-I don't know what to do!"_

Asuma took a step forward, but stopped when a paw touched his shoulder.

"Come with me, Asuma," Mufasa said calmly.

A muffled cry pierced through the now heavy white mist. _"No! Don't die!"_

Asuma squinted at the wall of mist, "Kovu said the Council wanted me to be king. This is rather unfortunate then."

"No, not unfortunate."

Asuma looked over his shoulder at Mufasa. "So it's fortunate? Are you going to tell me that it's not my time?"

His great-grandfather gave him a wry half-smile. "That is not my place. I am only your escort to the Council."

Asuma swallowed and looked down at the ground.

"I didn't think I would come back from this..." he confided in a strained voice not much above a whisper, though his voice grew stronger. "Will they make me go back? I can't come back from this. They can't force me to go back. I'm no leader, and I'm not going to put myself in a position to fail again. There are others who are stronger than me who won't give in to what I did!"

The warmth of Mufasa's paw left his shoulder. "Asuma, I must show you something, before we go."

Slowly, Asuma turned and looked up, an eyebrow cocked. "What?"

Mufasa turned halfway and looked away. Asuma followed the big lion's gaze, and his eyes widened when live images began to play for him. They were blurred by the bright mist at first, but soon they began to sharpen. He thought he recognized them as memories.

Quietly, Asuma asked, "What is this? Is this my life? A review?"

"Yes." Mufasa nodded.

Asuma gave a soft snort. "What's worth seeing that I don't already know I regret? I can't waste your time."

"Oh, I have time enough," Mufasa replied. "And I see a life that would be worth my time if I had to keep track of it."

Before Asuma could argue further, he motioned with his nose for Asuma to look. In quick succession, Asuma saw himself being comforted by his father, groomed by his mother, and played with by his sister and Natin. By the end of each piece, his younger self was smiling big and happy. But just as rapidly as those scenes played out, he soon saw himself rushing to help Tanga and Natin after the fateful hunt… saw himself experiencing his first intuitive dream… saw himself blubbering when Simba had been found dead… and saw himself dragging Tanga away from the den with Natin's help in an effort to spare her when Kovu had been pegged as a cold murderer.

At that point, Fola might as well have clawed his throat open.

He forced himself to continue watching when he saw himself plotting with and exploiting Natin to destroy Kovu, cursing Natin for wanting mercy, cursing Tanga for protecting a murderer, cursing the old lion to die in the hole… Asuma stood there feeling the hatred he'd felt for everyone who had started out as a friend and protector, but who had later turned into the enemy through one mean or another. But he also felt the guilt and misery he had inflicted upon himself when he'd passively inflicted on others his malicious bitterness, agonized deficiencies, and detrimental agenda. Various scenes played before him where he understood that Chaka was pleading with Kiara to tell the whole truth to him and his sister, and more scenes played where Natin struggled to bring himself to kill Kovu while he slept. Asuma had to turn away when he saw Natin arguing with Tanga about what to do about Kovu, and when Tanga scolded him when they were alone after Natin's death.

"I've seen enough," Asuma told Mufasa, and at once the images faded away. He closed his eyes. "I know what I am."

"And what is that?"

"A monster. I turned myself into one."

"My brother was a monster."

"You say my life was one worth living, but then you bring up Scar."

"I'm not comparing you to him. What I'm trying to say is Scar never would have given his life for another creature. Scar only took. He never gave."

"But I wanted to take. I wanted to take my father's life."

"Yes, you wanted to-"

"I took the life of the lion who was helpless and stuck in that hole. I could've shown him mercy. I didn't. I couldn't."

"Do you feel guilty about what you have done?"

Asuma looked down. "I... don't know."

Mufasa pursed his lips, silent. He then turned and started to walk away. "Come with me, Asuma. The Council is waiting."

Asuma stood there, looking at his paws. He glanced in the direction his family had been, but there was no trace of them. No sight, no sound. Nothing he could perceive.

"Come, Asuma," Mufasa called once more, and this time Asuma followed. "This life for you is gone."

_And what becomes of me in the next one?_

* * *

_**A/N: 3 more chapters to go. :)**_


	45. Let the Embers Smolder

**_(A/N: Update! And thank you guys for reviewing! We're nearly at the end now!)_  
**

Kiara didn't feel quite right as thick tears stood in her eyes. The Asuma lying in front of her wasn't the Asuma she had known. It wasn't him. Couldn't be. Scrapes, bruises, and gashes covered her son- her poor young son, who'd been through experiences she never would've wanted him to go through.

_ Every sunrise to come will remind me of the night I failed to get to him. He fought to stay alive, and I-I just wish I could've helped him learn to be happy again. I wish I could bring him back… but that's impossible... about as impossible as Natin's resurrection._

Which Kovu had explained to Kiara in great detail.

Tanga wouldn't let them bury Asuma. Kovu had said, after all, that the Council wanted the young prince to be their king. Bron hadn't returned yet. Chaka and Tanga had struggled for some time to bring Asuma down from the tree before Chaka had carried Asuma for about a mile on his back when he'd stop, too exhausted to keep moving. Kiara knew there was no way to take Asuma home with them. Everyone agreed that they were too far away from the Pride Lands. Tanga was at Kiara's side, and so was Suki. They sniffed quietly while Chaka, Muna, and Kenyi sat opposite, forming a ring around Asuma.

Softly, Chaka cleared his throat. "I... I guess I'll say something..." He fell silent as he sat at Asuma's dusty feet.

"Chaka?" Suki spoke up. "Are you sure you want to speak?"

Chaka nodded.

"But Natin came back," Tanga said. "We don't know for sure if this is it."

The uncle of the deceased wrinkled his nose.

"Natin did come back..." Tanga went on. "Why wouldn't Asuma?"

They sat in silence, staring at Asuma's corpse.

Kiara swallowed. "How will we know he's not coming back? We have to return to the Pride Lands..."

Chaka broke his sad gaze away from his nephew before standing up. "Kiara, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Kiara got up, an unpleasant twinge throttling her belly, and walked with Chaka until they were out of earshot from the others.

Her brother dropped his voice and held his head close to hers. "We may not know Asuma's situation for a while... but Kovu's _was_ certain. I have to know for sure."

Kiara raised a brow and frowned. "What- Isn't that why you sent Bron to follow Kovu? After you doubted his intentions?"

Chaka looked away. "I have to see it with my own eyes- eye."

"You're going to look for Kovu." Kiara wasn't especially surprised. She avoided rolling her eyes in irritation. Chaka was still fixated on Kovu.

Chaka nodded. "I need _peace_."

Kiara nodded. She looked down, knowing Chaka was going to do what Chaka wanted to do. "Okay... Please be careful."

Chaka only glanced at her. "If I don't come back by sunset, leave here. Bury Asuma and then leave. That's all the time you should spare."

She arched her brows. "If you're not back by... Leave without you?" Kiara felt a bit bewildered.

"Kovu told us not to linger, so you shouldn't. You're vulnerable out here."

She was skeptical. What bothered her was the way Chaka spoke- the way he wouldn't look at her. A thought came to her: was Chaka concerned that someone would run into the lionesses while he was searching, or was he thinking about leaving... permanently? Since they had started their search for Asuma, Chaka had only looked less and less happy, fitting in less and less with the group. It was clear he was struggling with the death of Asuma, the very lion who had helped Chaka return home to the Pride Lands.

_Perfect… But, if that's what he wants... will I have to let go of him, too?_

"Kiara, remember, leave by sunset," Chaka firmly repeated. He was halfway turned in the direction Kovu and the lionesses had gone.

Feeling her eyes begin to water again, she said, "Okay... Good luck, Chaka."

Chaka turned away and jogged off.

Suki asked, "Where is Chaka going?"

Kiara went back to the group and sat down, eyes on Asuma but not seeing him. "He's looking for Kovu."

Muna snorted. "And so Bron wasn't good enough?"

Tanga looked up sadly. "Mother? He's coming back, right?"

Any kind of response escaped Kiara. How could she know? What could she do about it even if her fears were true? Communication with her brother had always eluded her, though everything was telling her that he might not choose to return.

_Tojo will be disappointed. All that effort for nothing._

Nobody spoke, taking Kiara's silence for what it was. Her eyes once again grew watery, blurring her vision. As she sat there, she started to think back to a time, back to when her children hadn't even been alive for a full moon...

_Asuma and Tanga were sleeping near her warm belly. Tanga was curled up tightly and in a dead sleep, while Asuma, who had noticed that his mother was awake to check on them, had started to toddle and wobble towards Kiara's head._

_ Kiara smiled and whispered, "Asuma... Little cub. Assssuuuuma."_

_ His eyes were bright and focused, his head freckled with soft, little brown spots. His ears were amazingly small still. Unsteadily, Asuma bumped against, rather than touched, her smiling muzzle with his nose._

_ "Well, aren't you sweet?" she quietly snickered. She nuzzled his little head and he mewled and grunted happily. She then watched amusedly as her son toddled carefully over to where Kovu was sleeping, almost as if he were investigating the lion who was next to his mother. After plopping down and batting at Kovu's muzzle, he mewled again._

_ Kovu opened his eyes sleepily, and smiled when their son nosed his muzzle, too..._

* * *

_Chaka had been patrolling the Pride Land's border one afternoon, a good many moons before Kovu and Asuma's deaths, and he had heard a foreign roar rumble across the savannah._

Who- I don't recognize that roar... It's rogues- or what if Kovu's back?

_ Chaka had quickly gone running, certain he was headed towards a fight. But, he had only found Asuma by himself, testing out his roar, standing with his head up, chest out, and limbs confidently placed. Asuma's mane was starting to come in thicker on the top of his head, the back of his neck, and in the middle of his chest. His face was becoming more angular. The young lion was totally oblivious to Chaka's presence, and continued to roar, each one stronger than the last._

It was nothing... I got worked up for nothing...

_ Feeling relieved, Chaka smirked at the sight and remarked from behind Asuma, "Not bad..."_

_ Asuma had spun around, his eyes wide before he averted his gaze and lowered his head slightly. "I was just practicing." His tail lashed back and forth behind him._

_ Chaka smiled and came closer. "How long? Your roar?"_

_ A shrug. "Maybe a couple moons, I'm not sure."_

_ Chaka wasn't very surprised since Tanga had been using her roar often. Very. Often. Kiara had actually been wondering if Asuma was able to roar yet, and this would be one less thing for her to worry about. But this made Chaka wonder why Asuma had kept his roar a secret._

He's probably just embarrassed...

_ "Y'know," Chaka had then ventured, "you'd surprise your mother if you let one of those off for her to hear."_

_ Asuma shrugged again. "I don't think she'd want to hear it. It sounds too much like Kovu's."_

_ Chaka raised a brow. It was true that the roar he'd heard while on patrol had reminded him of the boy's father. Chaka looked at Asuma closer, noting that the youngster had said 'Kovu' and not 'my father'. Asuma's passive, almost bored and irritated expression gave little clues to the questions Chaka wanted to ask: was Asuma thinking of his mother, how he didn't want to remind her of his 'dead' father, or was he thinking of himself, how the rogue had tried to abandon him to die for supposedly knowing the secrets of Simba's murder?_

_ But he didn't ask. He couldn't... and he left Asuma to his practice._

Alone, Chaka searched for Kovu, smelling the air carefully, listening for anything, and squinting into the empty scrubland. Dusk was falling now. When Chaka was starting to feel defeated, an offensive scent filled his nose... and he started to follow it.

Vultures marked the spot. Excitedly feeding, they bounced around in a clump of noisy, slapping wings and clapping beaks. Chaka stood there for a moment, squinting his eyes, before he charged them with a roar, sending them in every direction. A few vultures skipped a good length away and stood glaring at him with their beady eyes. Their beaks hung open with their tongues thrusting in their mouths.

With the vultures cleared away, Chaka walked up to the corpse and stared down at what had been Kovu. The corners of Chaka's mouth drew long. There were clumps of brown fur and mane scattered around. He knew the breeze would eventually take the clumps away. The tail was completely gone, and most of the middle had been reduced to bones. A flush of cold came over Chaka when he saw there was a leg missing. The lionesses had gone for the throat, he could tell, though Kovu's face was torn to hell...

"Why...?" Chaka looked out and around him. The lionesses were long gone. They'd just needed to take their revenge.

Kovu had been killed, scrubbed from the land by his enemies- something that Chaka should have been celebrating, considering he'd wanted just that for so long.

_I could be dancing in Kovu's blood._

Chaka felt an inkling of shame that, in Kovu's last moments, he had cast doubt on Kovu's intentions. There was still much that he did not understand about Kovu, and now never would. If he'd only been allowed to speak with Fola, maybe he could have prevented this?

_No, it wouldn't have made a difference. The risk was too great, and Kovu saw the situation for what it was and made his move._

Chaka wasn't entirely sure what to think. What to feel. Kovu had been his enemy, but he'd also died trying to save his own son, even if the act had turned out to be pointless. Kovu's whole life felt a little bit pointless.

_But I could say the same about myself..._

Chaka then muttered to Kovu, "I can forgive you for being so distrusting and rash... I can forgive that much... For now..." He sighed through his nose.

Then there was the next matter. He looked around, feeling uneasy. He shifted his weight on his paws.

The land was cold and unwelcoming. Not like the Pride Lands. He didn't have the courage to become a rogue again, but he feared what it would take for him to adjust to life in the Pride Lands. He couldn't stand it, and wanted the feeling to go away... but what if it didn't go away? Logically, he knew becoming a rogue would just be a way to avoid the feelings of isolation and anger, and then those feelings would most likely multiply and be joined by regret and longing. His days would be numbered if he set out alone. A harsh guarantee... Would he always be a victim of his upbringing in the warrior pride, slowly heading towards destruction? Would he only be able to imitate happiness, but not actually believe such a thing existed? All this came from a dim corner in his mind that harbored these shadows that he couldn't seem to give up.

There were so many ways to look at his situation. He needed his family, he knew, but they didn't really need him there to cause trouble, did they? He knew he hadn't been able to disguise his indecision from Kiara when he spoken to her earlier that day. She hadn't stopped him from coming to that spot, but he'd seen in her eyes that... she didn't want him to go.

Grudgingly, he looked down again at Kovu.

_Our lives might be pointless, but I'm the one who's still alive. And your daughter is still alive. And my sister. And Suki._

Chaka turned back the way he'd come, knowing he had news to deliver.

It was time to go back to the Pride Lands.

* * *

_Kovu stumbled just when the morning sun was tinting the horizon a pale peachy pink color. The ground was hard, and his shoulder slid across the dry grass. The rogue lionesses surrounded him quickly, and over the pounding of his heart in his ears and his labored breathing he heard them cackling._

_ Someone hissed gutturally into his ear, "You're gonna die. You're gonna die. Thought you could run-"_

_ Kovu snarled and swiped fiercely at the lioness before the others pinned him on his stomach. Several lionesses jumped on his back, crushing his chest to the ground. His mane was in his face, but he saw a set of paws walk calmly to stand in front of him. He tried to lift his head, but it was difficult with the lionesses sitting on him._

_ He grunted when a set of claws pulled at his mane, craning his neck back. He tried to swallow, but he coughed on his saliva. Gritting his teeth, he looked up at Fola._

_ With a deadpan expression, she stared back at him, well composed- her breathing was calm, her gaze steady. Shadows gathered beneath her eyes. Dawn light shone on the fur around her tilted head and ears._

_ "You killed our sister Sauda, did you not?"_

_ He saw no reason for her to let him live. Despite the fact that they'd wronged Vitani, he had in turn wronged them when he'd quickly dispatched Sauda. He was sorry he'd been so careless._

_ "Yes, or no. It's a simple question." She dug a claw into his scalp._

_ "Yehhs." Kovu winced and coughed. "Yes, I-I did it."_

_ "Did you know that we've got your son?"_

_ The lionesses chuckled._

_ He feigned shock and tried to swallow again. "Murderers."_

_ Fola stared down at him. "He's suffered a lot for what you've done to him."_

_His eyes started to mist._

_ "Any last words?" Fola asked. The others giggled, but her face lacked even a hint of a smile of triumph. Kovu even thought she looked tired._

_ "I w-whish I hhhadn't been so rehckless," Kovu choked out. "Ss-horry."_

_ Fola nodded._

_ His neck was on fire and he gasped and sucked for air, but this made his lungs burn. Kovu heard noises he could have gone without hearing for his whole life, down to the bare threads. His vision blurred and everything around him backed away from his body, and at the same time he felt like he was being split into two parts. His ears rang. His pulse rattled in his head like a strong, gusty wind shaking down a tree. The lionesses sunk their teeth into his flesh, rocked their heads back and forth. He knew where he would go next. His permanent destination. There was no doubt. Getting there was agonizing._

Then all that followed was blackness.

Vitani was waiting for her brother in the familiar, watery landscape that belonged to the Council. The stars shone above their heads, but Kovu could feel dawn creeping in.

"I'm dead."

Vitani merely nodded. Her expression was disappointingly unreadable.

He nodded, too. There wasn't much to it. He looked to the side. "Is Asuma somewhere safe? D'you know?"

"I know that he's speaking with the Council now."

Kovu raised his ears and widened his eyes. Pain wracked his body. "Why? What's happening? Why are they speaking to him?"

Vitani lowered her ears and sighed. "Kovu, he didn't make it. He died before Chaka and Tanga could pull him from the tree he was in." With her next words, her expression became angry. "They're ordering him to go back. Like Natin."

Kovu blinked, stunned.

_For nothing..._

Vitani shook her head. "I'm sorry, Kovu. Prepare yourself for an argument. He's being difficult." She started to walk towards the small light on the very distant horizon.

"Difficult?" Kovu narrowed his eyes."Does he... not want to go back?"

"No, he's refused. He's refused several times over. I'm sure _they_ expect you to persuade him to go back and play king."

Kovu sunk his teeth into the inside of his cheek. He followed Vitani as they made their way to the Council.

_He doesn't want to go back?_

Kovu had no right to be surprised, but he still felt stunned. He imagined that his son no longer wanted to deal with the pain that came with the pleasure of living.

_But the Council was so entirely adamant about him being King. Something is going to happen to the pride._

Would Kovu side with the Council...

..._or with my own son?_

* * *

**_(A/N: One more chapter to go! (and also an epilogue, which I don't know what that is going to be yet). I'm one chapter away from the ending and I don't even know yet if Asuma is going to stick to his guns- I'm excited, though! But, on that note, I can't promise a speedy update. I have a good chunk of the ending written, but I'm still going back and forth on what I should make Asuma do that would be most effective for his character development and the tone of the story. Until then, thanks for going on this journey with me. c: )_**


	46. Decisions of the Will

**45 Decisions of the Will**

Asuma sat there and argued with the Council.

"Go back," Calbain bellowed.

The prince lowered his head aggressively. _I've thought too long about death- killing and then waiting to die- to find anything to live for._

"Tanga has every right to the throne," Asuma spat. "I'm not a leader. How many times do I have to say no? I'm dead. I want to stay dead."

They'd told Asuma that he was _needed_. Something was coming, something far worse than what the pride had already experienced, but so far, they'd refused to elaborate on the 'danger'. They told him to do it for his pride, to have faith, for everyone whose sun had set, and for everyone whose dawn had yet to come.

In Asuma's mind, he treated the Council lions like a collective whole, bent on testing him rather than helping him. His suspicions from earlier were confirmed when he recognized the face of the old rogue he'd chosen not to save from the hunter's trap. He didn't agonize, however, over whether or not the Council lion hated him for condemning him to death in the hole. In fact, that lion, who had called himself Otieno, seemed to be the calmest. But, Asuma already knew how the ordeal had made him feel. Disgust for the Council.

_Why not intervene sooner?_

_Why put me through hell?_

They could continue to argue, but it would only make his conviction stronger. He didn't see himself as the leader of Pride Rock. He didn't see himself with a mate and a family. He didn't see himself with his family again because he'd already caused them so much pain, and he didn't long for the burden of learning to forgive them for not being perfect.

"You must go back!" Calbain stood up and lashed his tail.

"No!"

"Why do you refuse to be obedient?"

"Because I am tired. Imagine that I would be exhausted. You can't manipulate me like you did Natin... I actually feel sorry for him."

The others sat there with various levels of frustration on their faces while Calbain seethed. His chest heaved as he growled, "We do not manipulate. Natin acted on his own freewill, and he acted upon our request. Your sister wouldn't be alive if it weren't for us. I have never-"

"Calbain, hush," one of the lionesses interrupted.

Every eye went past Asuma and focused on someone behind him, and out of curiosity Asuma turned around.

His eyes widened when he saw his father.

_No... Why is he here? Did they call him here?_

Asuma quickly faced the Council once more.

"Kovu, please, sit down," the same lioness instructed.

Asuma kept his eyes forward as Kovu entered the stone clearing and sat down nearby. Out of the corner of his eyes, Asuma could see Kovu was keeping his head down. The dark-furred rogue only glanced up at the Council members once. Asuma heard another sound and looked over his shoulder quickly to see his aunt standing there in the shadows of the entrance. Vitani nodded to Asuma once, and he thought she had a small smirk on her face.

When Asuma turned back to the Council again, Calbain was addressing Kovu, as if he was demanding a proper punishment for some misdeed his cub had committed against him.

Calbain struggled to keep his voice calm. "Your son refuses to go back. I'm sure you have heard..."

Several Council members looked in Vitani's direction.

Asuma looked over his shoulder again. His aunt was gone.

"Why don't you want to go back?"

Kovu had spoken. Asuma turned his head slightly. He asked his father, "Did the lionesses kill you?" He hadn't really registered it when Mufasa had told him, but he didn't feel much about it now, either.

"Yes..." He then repeated calmly, "Why won't you go back?"

Asuma lifted his chin. "Because I don't want to."

Otieno spoke up, as if Asuma was unable to make his own decisions. "We can also offer your son the opportunity to change form in order to return to the land of the living," he told Kovu.

Asuma narrowed his eyes.

"'Change form'?" Kovu repeated, bemused.

Asuma rolled his eyes and asked, "Meaning...?"

One of the lionesses replied, "We offer you the opportunity to be reborn."

"Like a second life," Asuma replied bluntly.

Nodding.

"Yes. You could have the power you've always wanted. The strength you never had. You could start new, though others would keep for you the knowledge you have gained if you need it."

Furious, Asuma frowned.

_So this life would just be one giant waste?_

"Your father now ceases to exist. You'd have a new one-"

"That doesn't matter!" Through gritted teeth, Asuma hissed, "You can't tempt me. Just let me die. I've had enough. I've been through enough. All I've ever wanted is to be sure of myself... to not be lost. Let me have this!"

"You must see past your own selfishness and think of your pride!"

"I know myself, and I know I am not a leader." Asuma growled. "The most important thing I've done in my life is help Tanga escape... and refuse to let you resurrect me."

"Tanga is not prepared. Our guidance will be important, but she lacks a belief in us."

Asuma narrowed his eyes. "So what? Are you scared her lack of belief will lead others to not believe? That she'll make the wrong decisions- her decisions?"

They were silent.

Asuma wanted badly to laugh, but this was not a time to relax his restraint. "Will you stop communicating through the Pride Land shamans? No, you won't. And who is to say that one day she won't believe there is something beyond the stars? Won't she know what you did to Natin? That _miracle_?" He narrowed his eyes. "If you send me back against my will, I will tell everyone that you are callous, fearful, and superstitious. You hardly deserve my respect since you have none for me."

Silence.

Calbain's jaw clenched and unclenched.

One of the lionesses kneaded the ground with her paws.

Another lioness's entire body shook slightly.

Asuma opened his mouth to continue, but his father beat him to it.

Kovu blurted, "Tanga's learning, and she can learn to respect and believe in you. Just be patient. Give her time."

Calbain ignored Kovu and glared at Asuma. "You do not know what you are doing by refusing to return."

"Well, it's just unfortunate that I don't know, right?" Asuma replied coldly.

The Council members looked at each other, disgruntled, their mouths pursed.

Asuma analyzed their faces. He cocked his head to the side. "What are you so afraid of... or who? Are you afraid of my sister? You can't seem to accept her."

"We don't fear Tanga," Otieno said before he turned his head. His companions glared at him, which only made him lift his chin and throw back his shoulders.

"Silence, Otieno," Calbain spat. His eyes flashed a couple times at Asuma, and he shifted his weight. "What-are-you-doing?"

"He should know." Otieno then dropped his voice to barely a whisper. Asuma craned his neck slightly and made out from the lion's lips, "Everything is in line."

"What's in line?" Asuma asked. His heartbeat quickened.

Ignoring Calbain, Otieno replied, "Your sister… she will have a cub. Worse than Scar. Worse than Zira."

Calbain and the others looked down and shook their heads in exasperation.

Kovu spoke up, "Worse than Fola? Or me?"

Otieno's eyes darkened and lost a little of their focus as if he were looking into the future. He nodded slowly. He said quietly, "Yes."

Nobody spoke. Asuma sat there, horrified. His chest felt heavy and he couldn't help it when his breath caught in his throat.

_Why should Tanga to be tortured further? She doesn't deserve to carry on the destructive nature that lives in me and our father. She was supposed to live out the rest of her life in peace._

"Can't you just find a way to kill it before it-"

Calbain shook his head. "No. We cannot. We do not take life, even when faced with something like this." He looked down for once. "Believe me, we were tempted to break our code, but we just can't. It would alter everything that we have done or will do."

_This has to be a trick. They have to be doing this to scare me into giving into their orders._

"Why don't you take a moment to discuss this 'trick' with your father, Asuma?" one of the lionesses suggested, her tone slightly bitter.

Asuma rolled his eyes and took a moment before turning his head to look at Kovu.

"Maybe... we should talk this over?" Kovu murmured.

Again, Asuma rolled his eyes, though he was relieved to have the chance to get away from the Council. "Fine," he relented.

Kovu nodded and led the way out of the meeting space. They were out of earshot when he began.

"Asuma... Maybe they're right, and-"

"No," Asuma cut his father off. "This has to be a trick. This is _the_ worst thing that they could tell me, don't you agree?"

Kovu pursed his mouth.

"So you see it, too? Are you going to argue?" Asuma continued when Kovu did not speak. "Tanga is the true leader of the Pride Lands, not me. I can't play their game. What could I even do?"

"You might be able to do something that she wouldn't be able to do," Kovu said, his eyes growing sad and serious. "If her cub turns into us, I think this will devastate her..." He looked down and Asuma swore that tears were forming in the lion's eyes. "She was devastated by what I did to the family. By how you treated her, even if it was to save her life. I told her everything that I knew about you, including the dream that we shared."

A pause.

"She understood," Kovu said. "But that doesn't take away the pain."

Asuma's eyes widened. The situation was sinking in a little more, digging and scratching at his resolve.

_I can't abandon Tanga like this, can I? What if she still needs me, and instead of helping her, I let my pride get in the way? _

_"I was stupid to stick around for you, and I tried my best to help, but clearly you're beyond help... Waste your life like Natin, I don't care. It's your life, not mine. You'll never change."_

She had wanted to share the burden of his problems- was this his chance to help her in turn?

"You're missing some pieces, Asuma," Kovu remarked quietly. "Be careful what you replace them with."

"I may be broken, but I'm more sure of myself than ever," he told his father, but then looked down at his paws.

"Asuma... Are you sure...? I know you must be suffering, and we couldn't have guessed what the Council has predicted. I understand that I'm the biggest reason why your sense of the world isn't what it should be. But... I don't think you can just shrug this off."

At any other moment in his life, Kovu's words would have insulted Asuma, running off his body and irritating him like a heavy rainstorm. But to his surprise, he heard the concern in Kovu's voice, and it made him think. When the thoughts started to roll, it felt to him as though he was back fighting off Fola and her lionesses.

_Helping Tanga means obeying the creatures I have the least respect for... but what will be the cost if I stay here and refuse to take on the role they believe I am meant to fulfill, despite everything that they have seen from me? I am not strong... but maybe I can be strong enough for my sister...? Could I be? Could I be, even for her? What if I just make things worse, though?_

_"... You'll never change..."_ Again, Tanga's words echoed in his mind.

Kovu cleared his throat and Asuma looked up.

"Whatever your decision, Asuma..." Kovu told him calmly, "I will support you. I'm here for you, not them."

Asuma frowned. "Even if I don't help the pride?"

Kovu nodded. "Yes."

"Really. Because if I refuse... the pride will suffer."

Kovu closed his eyes and let out a breath. "Yes, Asuma." The rogue opened his eyes again. "I'll support you because you are my son."

Asuma narrowed his eyes. "What happened to you?" he asked. This wasn't the insane lion who'd tried to abandon him in the night, or the cowardly lion who'd run away after Natin's collapse. The pathetic little cub he'd wanted to crush in the dream they'd shared. For Asuma, the mention of support meant more than the apology he had been waiting to hear from Kovu. "You're... different," he said.

"I got my priorities straight," Kovu replied, "and I did what I could to make things right." He looked down at the ground. His eyebrows arched, and when he spoke, his voice shook. "I just wish the others had been able to get to you in time."

"It's better this way," Asuma said. "Trust me..." He looked down when he felt the words start to jump up his throat and onto his tongue. "I suppose... I suppose I should thank you... for warning me so I could help Tanga..." He sighed and muttered, "Though a whole lot of good that did her."

"Don't think that your sacrifice was worthless. Tanga is as strong as you think she is. She does have a chance, whether the Council believes she does or not."

Asuma looked back at his father. "I'm not worried about her being strong enough... I'm worried that, if I stay here, she'll have less of a chance..." He looked away. "Or if I do go... I could mess everything up again."

"I think you've learned-"

"I feel like I've learned nothing," Asuma interrupted. The muscles in his chest, neck and shoulders tightened.

"You have learned," Kovu insisted. "You are stronger than you think."

Asuma snorted, though he could feel the tears of frustration at the back of his eyes. He didn't want to look as weak as he felt. "I think... I would like a moment to think about this..."

Nodding, Kovu started to turn away. "Okay..." He paused, however, and turned back for a moment. "Asuma?"

"Yeah...?" He didn't look up.

"For what it's worth... You've never disappointed me. You're smart and brave."

Asuma looked up and met his father's eye. He recalled a conversation they'd had from the very back of his mind.

_"My position in life doesn't make me who I am... You're calm and reasonable. You think things through. You can't compare yourself to Tanga and Natin, or you'll never learn to love yourself... as I do... It's better to forgive than to seek blood for blood. You get nowhere traveling in a circle of hate, Asuma. Hate blackens the soul and clouds your vision. The only way to move on is..."_

"You need to forgive yourself, Asuma," Kovu finished. He then turned and walked back to where the Council was gathered.

Asuma sat there and sighed. He clenched his eyes shut tight. To really get close enough to his true feelings was difficult since it also meant knowing what everything he had done amounted to...The real question was whether or not he would be able to live with himself for eternity amid his fears and anger. Here he was, up against the very great difficulty of knowing how he exactly felt about helping Tanga versus obeying the Council. In the forefront of his mind, he was disturbed by what the Council had done so far- also by what they hadn't done- but deeper down he still suffered. His sister had tried to help him, and he had done nothing to let her in, to reveal what he was.

_There's no cure for what I have... nothing on the _outside_ that could reach in and pull the good back out. Is that the key? I really am the only one who can help myself..._

"And I have to help Tanga, too," Asuma said to himself, almost breathless.

He opened his eyes and thought for a moment.

"I can't forgive myself if I don't help her..." He paused to think again.

_And I think I have a plan._

Asuma returned to the clearing where the Council members sat with their heads lowered. Some of them looked up as Asuma sat down next to Kovu.

Asuma looked up at Calbain, who glared back at him.

Calbain's voice carried a hint of exhaustion. "Your decision, Asuma?"

Asuma glanced at the ground before he looked Calbain in the eye. "I... Yes, I will return."

Moving his ears as if he hadn't heard correctly, Calbain blinked. One of the lionesses let out a small sigh of relief.

Asuma continued, forcing the words out. "But, I won't return to my own body." He paused and swallowed a bit. "I request... I request to be born with the cub you say Tanga will have."

A murmur went through the Council.

"Maybe I'll be the sibling who doesn't fail or destroy."

Though he no longer looked angry, Calbain's expression was unreadable. He nodded. "Very well."

Asuma's paws itched, and he felt like he needed air. Without hesitation, he gave the lions a brief nod before he stood up, turned around, and walked towards the exit. Asuma felt everyone's eyes on his back, but he didn't care.

_In the end, I only care that Tanga has a chance at keeping her sanity._

* * *

A tired frown tugged down the corners of Kovu's mouth. He lifted his muzzle and breathed in deeply the crisp, clean air. It was early morning in the land of the dead. Feeling somewhat relieved, but also guilty, he wandered out of the monstrosity the Council lions called their home and looked around. His nails clicked softly on the stone ground. Nobody was in sight. No Asuma. No Vitani. With only eternity ahead of him, Kovu sat down at the top of the steps. The Council had said that he would come back later to hear what they had planned for him. He wondered what punishment they would give him. He was a wildebeest getting ready to cross a crocodile-filled river, vulnerable but determined to reach the end of his journey. He just had to wonder if persuading Asuma to continue _his_ journey had been for the best.

_Did I do too good a job of convincing Asuma to go back?" _he thought_. Did I do it for him, or did I do it for the Council? Will he be able to do to help Tanga and stop the disaster hidden over the horizon?_

Asuma wanted to become his sister's son... Kovu had no idea what to think about that... though he hoped that whoever Asuma's father was to be would treat Asuma better.

_Whoever that will be..._

Kovu looked up when he heard someone clear his throat. He expected to see Asuma but instead-

"S-Simba!" Kovu's eyes widened. He nearly fell over.

The golden-furred lion, the one he had condemned to death, gave him a very slight half-smile. "Vitani and my father said you would be here."

"And you came?" Kovu blinked in surprise.

Simba glanced up at the clear sky. "Well, we're both going to be here for a long time," he said before looking at Kovu again. "They thought I should come talk to you."

Guiltily, Kovu looked down. He hadn't expected Simba to talk to him. "I don't know how the Council will punish me yet, if that's what you want."

Simba sat down and sighed. "No... that's not why I came," Simba said. "I... I actually have no idea why I really came."

Kovu looked up again and raised an eyebrow at Simba for a moment. He then looked away and heaved a breath as well. An apology started to form on his tongue- the words just came automatically now that he had said he was sorry to Chaka, Kiara, Tanga, and Asuma.

_I'm dead and the apologies will still have to keep coming._

"Simba... I..." At first, the words stuck to his tongue like hairs that had come loose during grooming. "I'm sorry, Simba, that I-I... I let my hatred for Zira get the best of me. I got so angry and I let my fear get in the way, and I wanted to show you that I wasn't her or Scar, but I didn't want to show you who I really was by killing her myself- I should have done more to reach out to you and Kiara instead of tricking you. Nothing was the same after that-"

"Kovu-"

"And I just kept lying and-"

"Kovu, stop for a mom-"

"And I'm sorry that I killed you, Simba. I hurt my family- You're family-"

"Kovu!"

"Simba, I-" Kovu looked at the father-like lion he'd betrayed, and blinked. "What?" He cringed a bit while he searched Simba's face. "You don't have to accept my apology, but please just listen to-"

"Kovu," Simba interrupted again. "Stop for a moment."

Swallowing, Kovu sat there. "Sorry."

"I know you're sorry."

Kovu felt his cheeks flush. He looked away and muttered, "I meant sorry for rambling... But, I'm sorry... in general, too."

_To put it briefly..._

There was a pause before Simba spoke again. "Why don't we take a walk?" he suggested. He gestured down the steps with a jerk of his head. "Hmm?"

"A walk?" Kovu watched as the bigger lion stood up.

Simba nodded.

Kovu's chest clenched as he slowly stood up. "You want to do_ that? _After all those ill-fated walks we took?" He then inwardly kicked himself.

"Yes. All you have to do is listen." Simba started down the stone steps.

Kovu took a moment and watched Simba. When the Simba made it to the bottom, he turned and looked up at Kovu.

Despite what he could hear from Simba, he focused on the slight smile on Simba's face...

...And that was enough for Kovu.

* * *

**A/N: What do I even say after spending all this time on this story? And for listening to feedback and learning so much?**

**I'm not sure, but I hope everyone who's gotten this far enjoyed reading what I had to write.**

**I had no idea this story would turn out this long, or like this, or mean this much to me. I considered tacking on an epilogue, but one idea didn't really add anything to this story, and the other version pretty much crapped on what the characters learned in this final chapter, and how they're hopeful...**

**Hint: If you read through Asuma's terms again, and the Council's prediction, and think of the worst thing that could happen when Tanga gives birth to "them"... then, yeah. Unless you guys want a soul-crushing ending...**

**As it was, I went back and forth so many times on whether Asuma should go back or not, but I couldn't make him stay dead when I gave him the one thing he _couldn't_ refuse.**

**As for a sequel to this... I am realllllllly tempted to do one, but I can't guarantee one at all. I have a bunch of other projects I want to work on first- in other words, I will be working on original and cannon (TLK and Inception) pieces, just probably not a direct continuation of this.**

_**So: THANK YOU FOR READING TLK: JUST BENEATH THE SURFACE. :)**_


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